LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


=>F 

ROBINSON CRUSOE 


BY 

DANIEL DEFOE. 

EDITED , FOR THE USE <>* SCHOOLS , 

. \ 'A •- , V"' L - y . V-V« v ‘ .• : u^ \ 

W. H. D AIL EL r , 

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCRCOUS, M/UDEN, MASS. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY SlKN, HEATH, & CO. 


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 


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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



















































































































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LIFE AND ADVENTURES 

OP 

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 






DANIEL DEFOE. 


EDITED , FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS , 


W. H. LAMBERT, 

SUPEKINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, MALDEN, MASS. 


/ 

6 



, <. OF CO/VG/f^s, 


JUN 15 1883 



BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY GINN, HEATH, & CO. 
1883 . 


y\ *3 
V 

- ^ 


- 5 > 




A 

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, by 
GIXX, HEATH, & CO. 

in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 


J. S. Cushing & Co., Pkinters, 115 High Street, Boston. 









PREFACE. 





REAT improyements have been made within recent years in the 


methods of instruction employed in schools ; but in no direc- 
tion has the progress been greater than in the manner in which read- 
ing is taught. Formerly the scholar was confined to a single reader 
for one, and often for two or three years, until the language of the 
book, by mere repetition, had been memorized, and for lack of variety, 
a distaste for reading had been created. It is now admitted that the 
interest can be kept alive, and a desire to read implanted only by the 
perusal of many books. But there are objections to the ordinary 
series of readers. The selections are brief, and though often taken 
from classic and famous works, yet they are mere fragments, without 
unity, and incapable of holding the attention. Besides, many of the 
pieces, and in some cases, the contents of the whole book, are written 
especially for the occasion, not by authors of good repute, but by men 
and women whose trade it is to make books. If we wish to form in 
children a taste for good reading, to create in them an appetite which 
craves only the healthiest literary food, we must make them, as early 
as possible, familiar w T ith the best English classics. 

To increase the facilities for supplementary reading, and to enable 
teachers to make their pupils acquainted with the most famous 
books, the present volume has been prepared. Robinson Crusoe easily 
stands at the head of books which are adapted to interest the young. 
No book in the English language has been more popular, or more 
fully possesses the elements of immortality. The simplicity of the 


IV 


PREFACE. 


diction, the verisimilitude of the incidents, and the natural unfolding 
of the events of the narrative, are calculated to excite in the youthful 
reader an extraordinary degree of fascination. 

The original work has been abridged by omitting a few of the 
more uninteresting episodes, and by condensing many of the lengthy 
moral reflections, where they seem to impede the onward flow of the 
story. All the gross terms and allusions, which render the unexpur- 
gated text unfit for schools, have been removed; and the long and 
involved sentences, which characterize the writers of the age of Defoe, 
have been cast into a simpler form, while the diction of the author has 
been carefully preserved. The story has been divided into chapters, 
and judicious notes have been added, sufficient to explain the text. 


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 




ANIEL DEFOE, the author of Robinson Crusoe , was born 


in London in the year 1661. His father was a butcher, 
and his grandfather a Northamptonshire farmer. The name of 
the family was Foe , but Daniel, who in early life was accus- 
tomed to subscribe himself D. Foe , changed it first to De Foe , 
and then to Defoe, the form in which it is now known in liter- 


ature. 


Defoe’s school education was ver} r limited. At fourteen 
years of age he was sent by his father to an academy to be pre- 
pared for the ministrj^ ; but after remaining there five years, he 
concluded that the profession for which he was intended was 
not to his liking, and was therefore withdrawn from school. 
He was engaged at various times in business. He was a -hose 
merchant, a brick manufacturer, and a woollen importer, but in 
none of these Occupations did he prosper. It was as an author 
that he gained success. He began to write political pamphlets 
at twenty-two years of age, and at the time of his death the 
different books and pamphlets that he had written numbered 
nearly two hundred and fifty volumes. Some of his best-known 
works are The True-Born Englishman, a poem, The Shortest 
Way with the Dissenters , A Journal of the Plague of 1665, Moll 
Flanders , and the Memoirs of a Cavalier. 

His greatest work, and that on which his fame rests, is 
Robinson Crusoe. The story is founded upon an actual occur- 
rence. In 1704 a sailor, Alexander Selkirk b} r name, was aban- 
doned by the captain of his vessel on the Island of Juan Fernan- 


VI 


BIO GRAPHICAL SKETCH. 


dez, off the coast of Chili, where he remained in solitude for 
four years, when he was taken off by a passing vessel, and 
carried to England. The account of his strange experience 
excited among his countrymen a good deal of interest, and 
Defoe created out of it his celebrated narrative. Robinson Cru- 
soe , when first published, was so popular that the author imme- 
diately wrote a second book, called Further Adventures of Rob- 
inson Crusoe. This was followed by a third book, entitled 
Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe. Neither of these 
latter possessed any .great interest, and only the first book is 
now much read. 

Defoe’s last years were passed in concealment, probably to 
escape his creditors, of whom he is said to have had a great 
many. He died in an obscure lodging in London in 1731, at 
the age of seventy. 


THE 


LIFE AND ADYENTDEES 

OP 

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


. CHAPTER I. 

I WAS born in the year 1632, in the city of York. 

Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any 
trade, my head began to be filled very early with rambling 
thoughts. My father had given me a competent share of 
learning, as far as house education and a country free 
school generally go, and designed me for the law ; but I 
would be satisfied with nothing but going to sea. My 
father, a wise and grave man, gave me serious and excel- 
lent counsel against what he saw was my design. He 
called me one morning into his chamber, where he was 
confined by the gout, and expostulated very warmly with 
me upon the subject. He pressed me earnestly, and in the 
most affectionate manner, not to hurry myself into miseries 
which nature and the station of life I was born in seemed 
to have provided against ; but if I did take this foolish 
step, God would not bless me, and I would have leisure 
hereafter to reflect upon having neglected his counsel 
when there might be none to assist in my recovery. 

While my father was talking, I observed the tears run 
down his face very plentifully; and when he spoke of 

1 


2 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


my having leisure to repent, and none to assist me, he 
was so moved that he broke off the discourse, and told 
me his heart was so full he could say no more. I was 
sincerely affected with this discourse, and resolved not 
to think of going abroad any more, but to settle at home 
according to my father’s desire. But, alas! a few days 
wore it all off, and in a few weeks after, I resolved to run 
quite away. 

Being one day at Hull, and one of my companions being 
about to sail to London % in his father’s ship, and prompt- 
ing me to go with him, with the common allurement of 
seafaring men, namely, that it should cost me nothing 
for my passage, I consulted neither father nor mother any 
more, nor so much as sent them a word of my journey, 
but leaving them to hear of it, as they might, without 
asking God’s blessing or my father’s, without any con- 
sideration of circumstances or consequences, on the first 
of September, 1651, I went on board a ship bound for 
London. Never any young adventurer’s misfortunes, I 
believe, began sooner or contined longer than mine. The 
ship was no sooner gotten out of the Humber than the 
wind began to blow and the waves to rise in a most 
frightful manner. As I had never been to sea before, I 
was most inexpressibly sick in body and terrified in mind. 
I began now to seriously reflect upon what I had done, and 
how justly I was overtaken by the judgment of heaven for 
leaving my father’s house and abandoning my duty. All 
the good counsel of my parents, my father’s tears and my 
mother’s entreaties, came now fresh into my mind, and 
my conscience reproached me with the contempt of advice, 
and the breach of my duty to God and my father. 

All this while the storm increased, and the sea went 


OF ROBINSON CBUSOE. 


3 


very high, though nothing like what I have seen many 
times since ; no, nor like what I saw a few days after. 
But it was enough to affect me then, who was but a young 
sailor, and had never known anything of the matter. I 
expected every wave would swallow us up, and that every 
time the ship fell down, as I thought, in the trough or 
hollow of the sea, we should never rise more. In this 
agony of mind I made many vows and resolutions, that if 
it would please God here to spare my life this one voyage, 
if ever I got once more my foot upon dry land again, I 
would go directly home to my father, and never set foot 
into a ship again while I lived; that I would take his 
advice, and never run myself into such miseries as these 
any more. These wise and sober thoughts continued all 
the while the storm continued, and indeed some time after ; 
but the next day the wind was abated and the sea calmer, 
and I began to be a little inured to it. However, I was 
very grave for all the day, being also a little sea-sick still. 
But towards night the weather cleared up, the wind was 
quite over, and a charming fine evening followed. The 
sun went down perfectly clear, and rose so the next morn- 
ing ; and having little or no wind, and a smooth sea, the 
sun shining upon it, the sight was, as I thought, the most 
delightful that I ever saw. 

The sixth day of our being at sea we came into Yar- 
mouth roads. The wind having been contrary, and the 
weather calm, we had made but little way since the 
storm. Here we were obliged to come to an anchor, and 
here we lay, the wind continuing contrary, namely, at 
south-west, for seven or eight days, during which time a 
great many ships from Newcastle came into the same 
roads, as the common harbor where the ships might wait 
for a wind from the river. 


4 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


After we had lain here four or five days, the wind again 
blew very hard. However, the roads being reckoned as 
good as a harbor, the anchorage good, and our ground- 
tackle very strong, our men were unconcerned and not in 
the least apprehensive of danger, but spent the time in rest 
and mirth, after the manner of the sea. But the eighth day in 
the morning, the wind increased, and we had all hands at 
work to strike our topmasts, and make everything snug 
and close, that the ship might ride as easy as possible. 
By noon the sea went very high indeed, and we thought 
once or twice our anchor had come home; upon which 
our master ordered out the sheet-anchor, so that we rode 
with two anchors ahead, and the cables were veered out 
to the end. 

By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed ; and now 
I began to see terror and amazement in the faces even of 
the seamen themselves. The master, though vigilant in 
the business of .preserving the ship, yet as he went in and 
out of his cabin by me, I could hear him softly to himself 
say several times, “ Lord be merciful to us ; we shall be 
all lost, we shall be all undone ! ” and the like. I could 
ill re-assume the first penitence which I had so apparently 
trampled upon and hardened myself against. I thought 
the bitterness of death had been passed and that this 
would be nothing like the first. But when the master 
himself came by me, as I said just now, and said we should 
be all lost, I was dreadfully frightened. I got up out of 
my cabin and looked out, but such a dismal sight I never 
saw. The sea went mountains high, 'and broke upon us 
every three or four minutes. When I could look about, I 
could see nothing but distress around us. Two ships that 
rode near us we found had cut their masts by the board, 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


5 


being deeply laden ; and our men cried out that a ship 
which rode about a mile ahead of us was foundered. Two 
more ships being driven from their anchors, were run out 
of the roads to sea with not a mast standing. The light 
ships fared the best, as not so much laboring in the sea ; 
but two or three of them drove and came close by us, run- 
ning away with only their spritsail out before the wind. 

Towards evening the mate and boatswain, begged the 
master of our ship to let them cut away the foremast, 
which he was very unwilling to do. But the boatswain 
protesting to him that if he did not, the ship would founder, 
he consented. When they had cut away the foremast, the 
mainmast stood so loose, and shook the ship so much, they 
were obliged to cut that away also, and make a clear deck. 

But the worst was not come yet. The storm continued 
with such fury, that the seamen themselves acknowledged 
they had never known a worse. We had a good ship, but 
she was deeply laden, and wallowed in the sea, that the 
seamen every now and then cried out she would founder. 
It was my advantage in one respect that I did not know 
what they meant by founder, till I inquired. However, 
the storm was so violent, that I saw what is not often 
seen, the master, the boatswain, and some others more sen- 
sible than the rest, at their prayers, and expecting every 
moment when the ship would go to the bottom. In the 
middle of the night, and under all the rest of our distresses, 
one of the men who had been down on purpose to see, 
cried out, we had sprung a leak. Another said there 
were four feet of water in the hold ; then all hands were 
called to the pump. At that very word my heart, as I 
thought, died within me, and I fell backwards upon the 
side of my bed where I sat. However, the men roused me, 


6 


LIFE AND AD VENTUBES 


and told me that I, who was able to do nothing before, 
was as well able to pump as another ; at which I stirred 
up, and went to the pump and worked very heartily. 
While this was doing, the master seeing some light colliers, 
which, not able to ride out the storm, were obliged to slip 
and run away to sea, and would not come near us, ordered 
a gun to be fired as a signal of distress. I, who knew not 
what that meant, was so surprised, that I thought that the 
ship had broken, or some dreadful thing had happened. 
In a word, I was so surprised that I fell in a swoon. As 
this was a time when everybody had his own life to think 
of, nobody minded me, or what was become of me ; but 
another man stepped up to the pump, and thrusting me 
aside with his foot, let me lie, thinking I had been dead, 
and it was a great while before I came to myself. 

We worked on; but the water increasing in the hold, it 
was apparent that the ship would founder, though the 
storm began to abate a little. Yet, as it was not possible 
she could swim till we might run into a port, the master 
continued to fire guns for help. A light ship, that had 
ridden out the storm just ahead of us, ventured out a 
boat to help us. It was with the utmost hazard the boat 
came near us ; but it was impossible for us to get on board, 
or for the boat to lie near the ship’s side. At last, the 
men rowing very heartily, and venturing their lives to 
save ours, our men cast them a rope over the stern with 
the buoy to it, and then veered it out a great length, which 
they, after great labor and hazard, took hold of, and we 
hauled them close under our stern and got all into their 
boat. It was to no purpose for them or us, after we were 
in the boat, to think of reaching their own ship ; so, all 
agreed to let her drive, and only to pull her in towards 


OF BOBINSON CBUSOE. 


7 


shore as much as we could. Our master promised them 
that if the boat were wrecked he would make it good to 
their master ; so, partly rowing and partly driving, our 
boat went away to the northward. 

W e were not much more than a quarter of an hour out 
of our ship before we saw her sink, and then I understood 
for the first time what was meant by a ship foundering in 
the sea. I must acknowledge I had hardly eyes to look 
up when the seamen told me she was sinking. My heart 
was as it were dead within me, partly with fright, and 
partly with horror of mind, and the thoughts of what was 
yet before me. 

At ‘last, though not without much difficulty, we all got 
safe on shore, and walked on foot to Yarmouth, where, as 
unfortunate men, we were used with great humanity, as 
well by the magistrates of the town, who assigned us good 
quarters, as by particular merchants and owners of ships, 
and had money given us sufficient to carry us either to 
London or back to Hull, as we thought fit. 

Had I now had the sense to have gone back to Hull, and 
have gone home, I had been happy, and my father, an 
emblem of our blessed Savior’s parable, had even killed 
the fatted calf for me ; for, hearing that the ship I was in 
had been cast away in Yarmouth Roads, it was a great 
while before he had any assurance that I was not drowned. 
But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy that 
nothing could resist ; and though I had several times loud 
calls from my reason and my more composed judgment to 
go home, yet I had no power to do it. Having some 
money in my pocket, I travelled to London by land ; and 
having quite laid aside the thought of returning to my 
parents, I began to look out for a voyage. 


8 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


CHAPTER II. 

I T was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good com- 
pany in London, winch does not always happen to such 
unguided young fellows as I then was. I first fell ac- 
quainted with the master of a ship who had been on the 
coast of Guinea, and who, having had very good success 
there, was resolved to go again. Hearing me say I had a 
mind to see the world, he told me if I would go the voyage 
with him, I should be at no expense. I should be his 
messmate and his companion, and if I could carry anything 
with me, I should have the advantage of it that the trade 
would admit, and perhaps I might meet with some encour- 
agement. 

I embraced the offer, and entering into a strict friend- 
ship with the captain, who was an honest and plain-dealing 
man, I went the voyage with him, and carried a small 
adventure with me, which, by the disinterested honesty of 
my friend the captain, I increased considerably; for I 
carried about forty pounds in such toys and trifles as the 
captain directed me to buy. 

This was the only voyage which, I may say, was suc- 
cessful in all my adventures. This success I owe to the 
integrity and honesty of my friend the captain, under 
whom also I got a competent knowledge of the mathe- 
matics and the rules of navigation. I learned how to keep 
an account of the ship’s course, to take an observation, 
and, in short, to understand some things that were needful 
to be understood by a sailor ; for, as he took delight to in- 


OF FOB ms ON CBUSOE. 


9 


struct me, I took delight to learn ; and, in a word, this voy- 
age made me both a sailor and a merchant. I brought 
home five pounds nine ounces of gold dust for my adven- 
ture, which yielded me in London at my return almost 
three hundred pounds. Yet even in this voyage I had my 
misfortunes, too. I was continually sick, being thrown 
into a violent fever by the excessive heat of the climate ; 
our principal trade being upon the coast, from the latitude 
of fifteen degrees north even to the line itself. 

I was • now set up for a Guinea trader. My friend, to 
my great misfortune, dying soon after his arrival, I re- 
solved to go the same voyage again, and I embarked in 
the same vessel with one who was his mate in the former 
voyage, and had now got command of the ship. This was 
the unhappiest voyage that ever man made. 

My first misfortune was this, namely : our ship, making 
her course towards the Canary Islands, or rather between 
those islands and the African shore, was surprised in the 
gray of the morning by a Turkish rover of Sallee , 1 who 
gave chase to us with all the sail she could make. We 
crowded also as much canvas as our yards would spread 
or our masts carry. But finding the pirate gained upon 
us, and would certainly come up with us in a few hours, 
we* prepared to fight, — our ship having twelve guns and 
the rogue eighteen. About three in the afternoon he 
came up with us, and bringing to, just athwart our quar- 
ter instead of athwart our stern, as he intended, we 
brought eight of our guns to bear on that side, and poured 
in a broadside upon him, which made him sheer off again, 
after returning our fire, and pouring in also his small shot' 

1 A port on the west coast of Morocco ; at one time a stronghold of 
the pirates who infested the Mediterranean.- 


10 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


from near two hundred men whom he had on b'oard. 
However, we had not a man touched, all our men keeping 
close. He prepared to attack us again, and we to defend 
ourselves ; but the next time, coming upon our quarter, 
he entered sixty men upon our decks, who immediately 
fell to cutting the decks and rigging. We plied them with 
small shot, half-pikes, powder-chests, and such like, and 
cleared our deck of them twice. However, to cut short 
this melancholy part of our story, our ship being disabled, 
and three of our men killed and eight wounded, we were 
obliged to yield, and were all carried prisoners into Sallee, 
a port belonging to the Moors. 

The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at first I 
apprehended. Nor was I carried up the country to the 
emperor’s court, as the rest of our men were, but was 
kept by the captain of the rover as his proper prize, and 
made his slave, being young and nimble and fit for his 
business. At this surprising change of my circumstances, 
from a merchant to a miserable slave, I was perfectly over- 
whelmed. Now I looked back upon my father’s prophetic 
discourse to me, that I should be miserable and have none 
to relieve me, which, I thought, was now so effectually 
brought to pass, that I could not be worse. The hand 
of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was undone without 
redemption. But, alas ! this was but a taste of the misery 
I was to go through, as will appear in the sequel of the 
story. 

As my new patron or master had taken me home to his 
house, so I was in hopes that he would take me with him 
when he went to sea again, believing it would some time 
or other be his fate to be taken by a Spanish or Portu- 
guese man-of-war, and that then I should be set at liberty. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


11 


But this hope of mine was soon taken away ; for, when he 
went to sea, he left me on shore to look after his little 
garden and do the common drudgery of slave about his 
house ; and, when he came home again from his cruise, he 
ordered me to lie in the cabin to look after the ship. 

Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what 
method I might take to effect it, but found no way that 
had the least probability in it. Nothing presented to 
make the supposition of it rational ; for I had nobody to 
communicate it to, who would embark with me. No fel- 
low-slave, no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotchman was 
there but myself ; so that for two years, though I often 
pleased myself with the imagination, yet I never had the 
least encouraging prospect of putting it in practice. 

After about two years, an odd circumstance presented 
itself, which put the old thought of making some attempt 
for my liberty again in my head. My patron lying at 
home longer than usual, without fitting out his ship, — 
which, I heard, was for want of money, — he used con- 
stantly, once or twice a week, sometimes oftener, if the 
weather was fair, to take the ship’s pinnace, and go out 
into the road a-fishing. And, as he always took me and 
a young Maresco with him to row the boat, we made him 
very merry, and I proved very dexterous in catching fish; 
insomuch, that sometimes he would send me with a Moor, 
one of his kinsmen, and the youth, the Maresco, as they 
called him, to catch a dish of fish for him. 

It happened one time, that going a-fishing in a calm 
morning, a fog rose so thick, that though we were not 
half a league from the shore, we lost sight of it ; and 
rowing, we knew not whither or which way, we labored 
all day and all the next night. When the morning came, 


12 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


we found we had pulled off to sea instead of pulling 
in for the shore, and that we were at least two leagues 
from the shore. However, we got well in again, though 
with a great deal of labor and some danger; for the wind 
began to blow pretty fresh in the morning, but particularly 
we were all very hungry. 

But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to 
take more care of himself for the future ; and having lying 
by him the long-boat of our English ship he had taken, 
he resolved he would not go a-fishing any more without a 
compass and some provision. So he ordered the carpenter 
of his ship, who was also an English slave, to build a little 
state-room or cabin in the middle of the long-boat, like 
that of a barge, with a place to stand behind it to steer 
and haul home the main-sheet, and room before for a hand 
or two to stand and work the sails. She sailed with what 
we call a shoulder-of-mutton sail, and the boom gibed over 
the top of the cabin, which lay very snug and low, and 
had in it room for him to lie, with a slave or two, and a 
table to eat on, with some small lockers to put in some 
bottles of such liquor as he thought fit to drink, particu- 
larly his bread, rice, and coffee. 

We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing, and as 
I was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went 
without me. It happened that he had appointed to go out 
in this ' boat, either for pleasure or for fish, with two or 
three Moors of some distinction in that place, and for 
whom he had provided extraordinarily. He had sent on 
board the boat over night a larger store of provisions than 
ordinary, and had ordered me to get ready three small 
fusees, with powder and shot, which he had on board his 
ship, for they designed some sport at fowling as well as 
fishing. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


13 


I got all things ready as he directed, and waited the next 
morning with the boat washed clean, her flag and pendants 
out, and everything to accommodate his guests. By and 
by my patron came on board alone, and told me his guests 
had put off going, and ordered me, with the man and boy, 
as usual, to go out with the boat and catch them some 
fish, for his friends were to sup at his house. He com- 
manded that as soon as I got some fish, I should bring it 
home to his house. All which I prepared to do. 

This moment my former notions of deliverance darted 
into my thoughts, for now I found I was like to have a 
little ship at my command. My master being gone, I pre- 
pared to furnish myself, not for a fishing business, but for 
a voyage, though I knew not, neither did I so much as 
consider, whither I should steer ; for anywhere to get out 
of that place was my way. 


14 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


CHAPTER III. 

M Y first contrivance was to make a pretense to speak to 
this Moor, to get something for our subsistence on 
board; for I told him we must not presume to eat our pat- 
ron’s bread. He said that was true. So he brought a large 
basket of rusk, or biscuiAof their kind, and three jars with 
fresh water into the boat. I knew where my patron’s case 
of bottles stood, which it was evident by the make were 
taken out of some English prize ; and I conveyed them 
into the boat while the Moor was on s'hore, as if they had 
been there before for our master. I conveyed also a great 
lump of bees-wax into the boat, which weighed above a 
hundred weight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a 
hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all which were of great use 
to us afterwards, especially him who was to make caudles. 
Another trick I tried upon him, which he innocently came 
into also. His name was Ismael, which they call Muly, or 
Moley ; so I called to him, — “ Moley,” said I, 44 our pat- 
ron’s guns are on board the boat. Can you not get a little 
powder and shot ? It may be we may kill some alcamies 
(a fowl like our curlews) for ourselves, for I know he 
keeps the gunner’s stores in the ship.” 44 Yes,” sa} T s he, 
44 I’ll bring some ” ; and accordingly he brought a great 
leathern pouch which held about a pound and a half of 
powder, or rather more ; and another with shot, that had 
five or six pounds, with' some bullets, and put all into the 
boat. At the same time I had found some powder of liiy 


OF FOB INSOX’ CFUSOE. 


15 


master’s in the great cabin, with which I filled one of the 
large bottles in the case, which was almost empty, pouring 
what was in it into another. Thus furnished with every- 
thing needful, we sailed out of the port to fish. The castle 
which is at the entrance of the port knew who we were, 
and took no notice of us. We were not above a mile out 
of the port before we hauled in our sail, and set us down 
to fish. The wind blew from the north-north-east, which 
was contrary to my desire ; for had it blown southerly I 
had been sure to have made the coast of Spain, and at 
least reached to the Bay of Cadiz. But my resolutions 
were, blow which way it would, I would be gone from that 
horrid place where I was, and leave the rest to fate. 

After we had fished some time and caught nothing (for 
when I had fish on my hook, I would not pull them up, 
that he might not see them), I said to the Moor, “This will 
not do, our master will not be thus served. We must 
stand farther off.” He, thinking no harm, agreed, and 
being in the head of the boat, set the sails. As I had 
the helm, I ran the boat out near a league further, and 
then brought her to as if I would fish. Giving the boy 
the helm, I stepped forward to where the Moor was, and 
making as if I stooped for something behind him, I took 
him by surprise with my arm under his legs, and tossed 
him clear overboard into the sea. He rose immediately, 
for he swam like a cork, and calling to me, begged to be 
taken in. He told me he would go all over the world 
with me. He swam so strong after the boat that he would 
have reached me very quickly, there being but little wind. 
I stepped into the cabin, and fetching one of the fowling- 
pieces, I presented it at him, and told him I had done no 
hurt, and if he would be quiet, I would do him none. 


16 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


“ But,” said I, “ you swim well enough to reach the shore. 
The sea is calm. Make the best of your way to the shore, 
and I will do you no harm. But if you come near the 
boat, I’ll shoot you through the head, -for I am resolved to 
have my liberty.” So he turned himself about and swam 
for the shore, and I make no doubt that he reached it with 
ease, for he was an excellent swimmer. 

I could have been content to take the Moor with me 
and drown the boy, but there was no venturing to trust 
him. When he was gone, I turned to the boy, whom they 
called Xury, and said to him, “ Xuryi if you will be faith- 
ful to me, I’ll make you a great man. But if you will not 
stroke your beard to me,” (that is, swear by Mahomet and 
his father’s beard), “I must throw you into the sea, too.” 
The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently that I 
could not mistrust him. He swore to be faithful to me, 
and to go all over the world with me. 

While I was in view of the Moor, who was swimming, I 
stood directly out to sea with the boat, that they might 
think me gone towards the strait’s mouth (as indeed any 
one who had been in their wits must have been supposed 
to do). For who would have supposed we would sail south- 
ward to the truly barbarian coast, where whole nations of 
negroes were sure to surround us with their canoes and 
destroy us ; where we could never once go on shore but 
we should be devoured by savage beasts, or more merciless 
savages of human kind ? 

But as soon as it grew dusk, I changed my course, and 
steered directly south and by east, bending my course a 
little toward the east, that I might keep in with the shore. 
Having a fair, fresh gale of wind, and a smooth, quiet sea, 
I made such sail 'that I believe by the next day at three 


OF BOBINSON CBUSOE. 


17 


o’clock in the afternoon, when I first made the land, I 
could not be less than one hundred and fifty miles south 
of Sallee, quite beyond the Emperor of Morocco’s domin- 
ions, or indeed of any other king thereabouts, for we saw 
no people. 

Yet such was the fright I had taken at the Moors, and 
the dreadful apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, 
that I would not stop nor go on shore, nor come to anchor. 
The wind continuing fair till I had sailed in that manner 
five days, and the wind shifting to the southward, I con- 
cluded that if any of our vessels were in chase of me, they 
would now give over. So I ventured to make the coast, 
and came to anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew 
not what or where. I neither saw nor desired to see any 
people ; the principal thing I wanted was fresh water. 
We came into this creek in the evening, resolving to swim 
on shore as soon as it was dark, and discover the country. 
But as soon as itywas quite dark, we heard such dreadful 
noises of the barking, roaring, and howling of wild crea- 
tures of we knew not what kinds, that the poor boy was 
ready to die with fear, and begged of me not to go on 
shore till day. 44 Well, Xury,” said I, 44 then I won’t; but 
it may be we may see men by day, who will be as -bad to 
us as those lions.” 44 Then we give them the shot gun,” 
says Xury, laughing ; 44 make them run away.” Such Eng- 
lish Xury spoke by conversing among us slaves. After all, 
his advice was good, and I took it. W e dropped our little 
anchor and lay still all night. I say still, for we slept 
none ; for in two dr three hours we saw vast creatures (we 
knew not what to call them) of many sorts, coming down 
to the sea-shore and running into the water, wallowing 
and washing themselves for the pleasure of cooling them- 


18 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


selves. They made such hideous howlings and yellings 
as I never indeed heard the like. 

Xury was dreadfully frightened, and indeed so was I, 
too ; but we were both more frightened when we heard one 
of these mighty creatures swimming towards our boat. 
We could not see him, but we knew by his blowing that 
he was a monstrous and furious beast. Xury said it was 
a lion, and it might be so for aught I knew. Poor Xury 
cried to me to weigh the anchor and row away. “ No, 
Xury,” says I; “we can slip our cable with a buoy to it and 
go off to sea ; they cannot follow us far.” I had no sooner 
said so than I perceived the creature (whatever it was) 
within two oars’ length. I immediately stepped to the 
cabin door, and, taking up my gun, fired at him, upon which 
he immediately turned about and swam towards the shore 
again. 

But it is impossible to describe the horrible noises, and 
hideous cries and howlings that were raised, as well upon 
the edge of the shore as higher within the country, upon 
the noise or report of the gun, — a thing I have some rea- 
son to believe those creatures had never .heard before. 
This convinced me that there was no going on shore for 
us in the. night upon that coast; -and how to venture on 
shore in the day was another question too. For, to have 
fallen into the hands of any of the savages, had been as 
bad as to have fallen into the hands of lions and tigers ; at 
least, we were equally apprehensive of the danger of it. 

Be that as it may, we were obliged to go on shoi^e some- 
where or other for water, for we had not a pint left in the 
boat. When or where to get it was the point. Xury 
said, if I would let him go on shore with one of the jars, 
he would find if there was any water, and bring some to 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


1 !) 


me. I asked him why he would go ? Why I should not 
go, and he stay in the boat ? The boy answered with 
so much affection that it made me love him ever after. 
Says he, “ If wild mans come, they eat me, you go away.” 
“ W ell, Xury,” said I, “ we will both go, and if the wild 
mans come, we will kill them. They shall kill neither of 
us.” So we hauled the boat in as near the shore as we 
thought was proper, and waded on shore, carrying nothing 
but our guns and two jars for water. 

I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the 
coming of canoes with savages down the river. But the 
boy, seeing a low place about a mile up the country, ram- 
bled to it. By and by, I saw him come running towards 
me. I thought he was pursued by some savage, or fright- 
ened by some wild beast, and I ran forward towards him 
to help him. But when I came nearer to him, I saw some- 
thing hanging over his shoulders, which was a creature 
that he had shot ; like a hare, but different in color, and 
longer legs. However, we were very glad of it, and it 
was very good meat. But the great joy that poor Xury 
came with, was to tell me he had found good water, and 
had seen no wild mans. 

But we found afterwards that we need not take such 
pains for water ; for, a little higher up the creek Avhere we 
were, we found the water fresh when the tide was out, 
which flowed but a little way up. So we filled our jars, 
and feasted on the hare we had killed, and prepared to go 
on our way, having seen no footsteps of any human crea- 
ture in that part of the country. 


20 


LIFE AND ADVENTUEES 


CHAPTER IV. 


I had been one voyage to this coast before, I knew 



t \ very well that the islands of the Canaries, and the 
Cape de Verde Islands also, lay not far off from the coast. 
But as I had no instruments to take an observation, to 
know what latitude we were in, I knew not where to look 
for them, or when to stand off to sea towards them. My 
hope was, that if I stood along this coast till I came to that 
part where the English traded, I should find some of their 
vessels upon their usual design of trade, that would relieve 
and take, us in. 

By the best of my calculation, the place where I now 
was must be that country which, lying between the 
Emperor of Morocco’s dominions and the negroes, lies 
waste and uninhabited, except by wild beasts ; the negroes 
having abandoned it and gone further south for fear of the 
Moors, who did not think it worth inhabiting by reason of 
its barrenness. 

Once or twice in the daytime I thought I saw the peak 
of Teneriffe, being the high top of the mountain Teneriffe 
in the Canaries. I had a great mind to venture out in 
hopes of reaching thither ; but, having tried twice, I was 
forced in again by contrary winds, the sea also going too 
high for my little vessel ; so I resolved to pursue my first 
design, and keep along the shore. 

Several times I was obliged to land for fresh water after 
we had left this place. Once, in particular, being early in 


OF BOBINSON CBUSOE. 


21 


the morning, we came to an anchor under a little point of 
land which was pretty high; and the tide beginning to 
flow, we lay still to go farther in. Xury, whose eyes were 
more about him than it seems mine were, calls softly to 
me, and tells me that we had best go further off the shore. 
44 For,” says he, 44 look ! yonder lies a dreadful monster on 
the side of that hillock, fast asleep.” I looked where he 
pointed, and saw a dreadful monster indeed, for it was a 
great lion that lay on the side of the shore, under the 
shade of a piece of the hill that hung, as it were, a little 
over him. 44 Xury,” says I, “you shall go on shore 
and kill him.” Xury looked frightened, and said, 44 Me 
kill ! he eat me at one mouth ” ; one mouthful he meant. 
However, I said no more to the boy, but bade him lie still. 
I took our biggest gun, and loaded it with a good charge 
of powder and with two slugs, and laid it down. Then I 
loaded another gun with two bullets ; and the third (for 
we had three pieces) I loaded with five smaller bullets. 
I took the best aim I could, with the first piece, to shoot 
the lion in the head ; but he lay so, with his leg raised a 
little above his nose, that the slugs hit his leg about the 
knee, and broke the bone. He started up, growling at 
first, but finding his leg broken, fell down again, and then 
got up upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar 
that ever I heard. I was a little surprised that I had not 
hit him on the head. However, I took up the second piece 
immediately, and though he began to move off, fired again, 
and shot him in the head, and had the pleasure to see him 
drop. Then Xury took heart, and would -have me let him 
go on shore. 44 Well, go,” said I. So the boy jumped into 
the water, and taking a little gun in one hand, swam to the 
shore with the other hand ; and coming close to the ere a- 


22 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


tnre, put the muzzle of the piece to his ear, and shot him 
in the head again, which dispatched him quite. 

This was game indeed to us, but no food. I was very 
sorry to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a 
creature that was good for nothing to us. However, Xury 
said he would have some of him. So he comes on board, 
and asked me to give him the hatchet. “For what, 
Xury ? ” said I. “ Me cut off his head,” said he. How- 
ever, Xury could not cut off his head, but he cut off a foot, 
and brought it with him. It was a monstrous one. 

I bethought myself, however, that perhaps the skin of 
the lion might one .way or another be of some value to us ; 
and I resolved to take it off if I could. So Xury and I 
went to work. But Xury was much the better workman 
at it, for I knew very ill how to do it. Indeed, it took us 
both the whole day ; but at last we got the hide off, and 
spreading it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectually 
dried it in two days’ time, and it afterwards served me 
to lie upon. 

After this stop, we made on to the southward contin- 
ually for ten or twelve days, living very sparingly on our 
provisions, which began to abate very much, and going no 
oftener in to the shore than we were obliged to for fresh 
water. My design in this was to make the Kiver Gambia 
or Senegal, that is to say, anywhere about the Cape De 
Yerde, where I was in hopes to meet with some European 
ship. If I did not, I knew not what course I had to take, 
but to seek for the islands, or perish there among the 
negroes. I knew that all the ships from Europe, which 
sailed either to the coast of Guinea or to Brazil, or to the 
East Indies, made this cape, or those islands. In a word, 
I put the whole of my fortune upon this single point, — 
either that I must meet with some ship or must perish. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


23 


When I had pursued this resolution about ten days 
longer, as I have said, I began to see that the land was 
inhabited. In two or three places, as we sailed by, we 
saw people stand upon the shore to look at us. We could 
also perceive they were quite black. I was once inclined 
to go on shore to them ; but Xury was my better coun- 
sellor, and said to me, “No go, no go.” However, I 
hauled in nearer the shore that I might talk to them, and 
I found they ran along the shore by me, a good way. I 
observed they had no weapons in their hands, except one, 
who had a long, slender stick, which Xury said was a 
lance, and that they would throw them a great way with 
good aim. So I kept at a distance, but talked with them 
by signs as well as I could, and particularly made signs 
for something to eat. They beckoned to me to stop my 
boat, and they would fetch me some meat. Upon this 
I lowered the top of my sail, and lay by. Two of them 
ran up into the country, and in less than half an hour 
came back, and brought with them two pieces of dried 
flesh and some corn, as is the produce of their country. 
But we neither knew what the one nor the other was. 
However, we were willing to accept it, but how to come 
at it was our next dispute; for I was not venturing on 
shore to them, and they were as much afraid of us. But 
they took a safe way for us all ; for they brought it to the 
shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great way 
off till we fetched it down on board, and then came close 
to us again. 

We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing 
with which to repay them. But an opportunity offered 
that very instant to oblige them wonderfully ; for, while 
we were lying by the shore, there came two mighty crea- 


24 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


tures, one pursuing the other (as we took it) with great 
fury, from the mountains towards the sea. Whether they 
were in sport or in rage, we could not tell, any more than 
we could tell whether it was usual or strange ; but I 
believe it was the latter ; because, in the first place, those 
ravenous creatures seldom appear but in the night; and, 
in the second place, we found the people terribly fright- 
ened. The man Avho had the lance or dart did not fly 
from them, but the rest did. However, as the two crea- 
tures ran directly into the water, they did not seem to 
offer to fall upon any of the negroes, but plunged into 
the sea, and swam about as if they had come for their 
diversion. At last, one of them began to come nearer our 
boat than at first I expected. But I lay ready for him ; 
for I had loaded my gun with all possible expedition, and 
bade Xury to load both the others. As soon as he came 
fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him directly in 
the head. Immediately he sunk down into the water, but 
rose instantly, and plunged up and down as if he was 
struggling for life. So, indeed, he was. He immediately 
made for the shore; but, between the wound, which was 
his mortal hurt, and the strangling of the water, he died 
just before he reached the shore. 

It is impossible to express the astonishment of these 
poor creatures at the noise and the fire of my gun. Some 
of them were even ready to die of fear, and fell down as 
dead with the very terror. But when they saw the crea- 
ture dead, and sunk in the water, and that I made signs 
to them to come to the shore, they took heart and came, 
and began to search for the creature. I found him by his 
blood staining the water; and, by the help of a rope, 
which I slung round him, and gave the negroes to haul, 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


25 


they dragged him on shore. He was found to be a most 
curious leopard, spotted and fine to an admirable degree, 
and the negroes held up their hands with admiration to 
think what it was I had killed him with. 

The other creature, frightened with the flash of fire and 
the noise of the gun, swam on shore, and ran up directly 
to the mountains from whence they came, nor could I at 
that distance know what it was. I found quickly the 
negroes were for eating* the flesh of this creature, so I was 
willing to have them take it as a favor from me. When 
I made signs to them that they might take him, they were 
very thankful. Immediately they fell to work with him, 
and though they had no knife, yet with a sharpened piece 
of wood they took off his skin as readily, and much more 
readily, than we could have done with a knife. They 
offered me some of the flesh, which I declined, making 
as if I would give it them ; but I made signs for the skin, 
which they gave me very freely, and brought me a great 
deal more of their provision, which, though I did not 
understand, yet I accepted. Then I made signs to them 
for some water, and held out one of my jars to them, 
turning it bottom upward, to show that it was empty, and 
that I wanted to have it filled. They called immediately 
to some of their friends ; and there came two women, and 
brought a great vessel made of earth, and burnt, as I 
supposed, in the sun. This they set down for me, as 
before, and I sent Xury on shore with my jars, and filled 
them all three. 

I was now furnished with roots and corn, such as it 
was, and water ; and, leaving my friendly negroes, I made 
forward for about eleven days more, without offering to 
go near the shore, till I saw the land run out a great 


26 


LIFE AND A D VENT UBES 


length into the sea, at about the distance of four or five 
leagues before me ; and, the sea being very calm, I kept 
a large offing 1 to make this point. At length, doubling 
the point at about two leagues from the land, I saw 
plainly land on the other side to seaward. Then I con- 
cluded that this was the Cape de Verde, and those the. 
islands called from thence the Cape de Verde Islands. 
However, they were at a great distance, and I could not 
tell what I had best do ; for, if I should be taken with a 
fresh wind, I might reach neither the one nor the other. 

In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stept into 
the cabin and set me down, Xury having the helm. On 
a sudden the boy cried out, “ Master ! Master ! a ship with 
a sail ! ” And the foolish boy was frightened out of his 
wits, thinking it needs must be some of his master’s ships 
sent to pursue us. I jumped out of the cabin, and saw 
not only the ship, but that it was a Portuguese ship, and, 
as I thought, was bound to the coast of Guinea for ne- 
groes. But when I observed the course she steered, I 
was soon convinced they were bound some other way, and 
did not design to come any nearer to the shore ; upon 
which I stretched out . to sea as much as I could, resolv- 
ing to speak with them if possible. 

With all the sail I could make, I found I should not be 
able to come in their way, but they would be gone by 
before I could make any signal to them. But, after I had 
crowded to the utmost, and began to despair, they, it 
seems, saw me by the help of their perspective glasses ; so 
they shortened sail to let me come up. I was encouraged 
with this, and, as I had my patron’s 'flag on board, I made 
a waft of it to them for a signal of distress, and fired a 
1 An offing is a part of the open sea at a good distance off the shore. 


OF ROBINSON CBUSOE. 


27 


gun, both which they saw ; for they told me they saw the 
smoke, though they did not hear the gun. Upon these 
signals, they very kindly brought to, and lay by for me, 
and in about three hours’ time I came up with them. 

They asked me what I was, in Portuguese, in Spanish, 
and in French. But I understood none of them. At last 
a Scottish sailor, who was on board, called to me, and I 
answered him, and told him I was an Englishman, and 
that I had made my escape out of slavery from the Moors 
at Sallee. Then they bade me come on board, and very 
kindly took me in, and all my goods. 

It was inexpressible joy to me, as any one would believe, 
that I was thus delivered, as I esteemed it, from such a 
miserable and almost hopeless condition as I was in. I 
immediately offered all I had to the captain of the ship, 
as a return for my deliverance. But he generously told 
me he would take nothing from me, but that all I had 
should be delivered safe to me when I came to the Bra- 
zils. u For,” says he, “ I have saved your life on no other 
terms than I would be glad to be saved myself; and it 
may one time or other be my lot to be taken up in the 
same condition. Besides,” says he, “when I carry you 
to the Brazils, so great a way from your own country, if 
I should take away from you what you have, you will be 
starved there, and then I only take away that life I have 
given. No, no, Seignor, Mr. Englishman; I will carry 
you thither in charity, and those things will help you to 
buy your subsistence there, and your passage home again.” 

As he was charitable in his proposal, so he was just in 
the performance to a tittle ; for he ordered the seamen 
that none should offer to touch anything I had. Then he 
took everything into his own possession, and gave me back 


28 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


an exact inventory of them, that I might have them ; 
even so much as my earthen jars. 

As to my boat, it was a very good one ; and that he 
saw, and told me he would buy it of me for the ship’s use, 
and asked me what I would have for it. I told him he 
had been so generous to me in everything, that I could 
not offer to make any price on the boat, but would leave 
it entirely to him. He told me he would give me a note 
of his hand to pay me eighty pieces of eight 1 for it at 
Brazil ; and when it came there, if any one offered to give 
more, he would make it up. He offered me also sixty 
pieces of eight more for my boy Xury, which I was loath 
to take; not that I was not willing to let the captain 
have him, but I was very loath to sell the poor boy’s lib- 
erty, who had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my 
own. However, when I let him know my reason, he 
owned it to be just, and offered me this medium, that he 
would give the boy an obligation to set him free in ten 
years, if he turned Christian. Upon this, and Xury say- 
ing he was willing to go to him, I let the captain have him. 

We had a good voyage to the Brazils, and arrived in 
All Saints Bay in about twenty-two days after. And now 
I was once more delivered from the most miserable of all 
conditions of life, and what to do next with myself I was 
now to consider. 

The generous treatment the captain gave me, I can 
never enough remember. He would take nothing of me 
for my passage, gave me twenty ducats 2 for the leopard’s 

1 A Spanish piece of eight reals is equivalent to a dollar in our money. 

2 A ducat was a coin used in many countries of Europe, and had a 
greatly varying value. A silver ducat was nearly equivalent to an 
American dollar. 


OF BOBINSOFf CBTJSOE. 


29 


skin, and forty for the lion’s skin, which I had in my boat, 
and caused everything I had in the ship to be punctually 
delivered me. What I was willing to sell he bought, — - 
such as the case of bottles, two of my guns, and a piece 
of the lump of bee’s-wax, for I had made candles of the 
rest. In a word, I made about two hundred and twenty 
pieces of eight of all my cargo ; and with this stock I went 
on shore in the Brazils. 


30 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


CHAPTER V. 


HAD not been long in the Brazils, when I was recom- 



x mended to the house of a good and honest man, who 
had an ingenio, as they call it, that is, a plantation and a 
sugar house. I lived with him some time, and acquainted 
myself by that means with the manner of planting and 
making of sugar. Seeing how the planters lived, and 
how they grew rich suddenly, I resolved, if I could get 
license, to settle there. I would turn planter among them, 
resolving in the meantime to find out some way to get 
my money, which I had left in London, remitted to me. 
To this purpose, getting a kind of letter of naturalization, 
I purchased as much land that was uncured as my money 
would reach, and formed a plan for my plantation and 
settlement, and such a one as might be suitable to the 
stock which I proposed to myself to receive from England. 

I had a neighbor, a Portuguese of Lisbon, but born of 
English parents, whose name was Wells, who was in 
much such circumstances as I was. I call him neighbor, 
because his plantation lay next to mine, and we went on 
very sociably together. My stock was but low, as well as 
his; and we rather planted for food than anything else, 
for about two years. However, we began to increase, 
and our land began to come into order ;• so that the third 
year we planted some tobacco, and made each of us a 
large piece of ground ready for planting canes in the year 


OF B OBINSOX CB USOE. 31 

to come. But we both wanted help ; and now I found, 
more than before, I had done wrong in parting with my 
boy Xury. 

I had now lived almost four years in the Brazils, and 
began to thrive and prosper very well upon my planta- 
tion. I had not only learned the language, but had con- 
tracted acquaintance and friendship among my fellow 
planters, as well as among the merchants at St. Salvadore, 
which was our port. In my discourses among them I had 
frequently given them an account of my two voyages to 
the coast of Guinea, the manner of trading with the ne- 
groes there, and how easy it was to purchase upon the 
coast, for trifles, such as beads, toys, knives, scissors, 
hatchets, bits of glass, and the like, not only gold dust, 
Guinea grains, elephants’ teeth, etc., but negroes for the 
service of the Brazils in great numbers. 

They listened always very attentively to my discourses 
on these heads, but especially to that part which related 
to the buying of negroes. 

It happened, being in company with some merchants 
and planters of my acquaintance, and talking of those 
things very earnestly, three of them came to me the next 
morning and told me they had been musing very much 
upon what I had discoursed with them of the last night, 
and they came to make a secret proposal to me. After 
enjoining secrecy, they told me that they had a mind to 
fit out a ship to go to Guinea ; that they had all plantations 
as well as I, and were straitened for nothing so much 
as servants ; that as this was a trade that could not be 
carried on, because they could not publicly sell the ne- 
groes when they came home,, so they desired to make but 
one voyage, to bring the negroes on shore privately, and 


32 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


divide them among their own plantations. In a word, the 
question was, whether I would go as their supercargo 1 in 
the ship, to manage the trading part upon the coast of 
Guinea. They offered me that I should have my equal 
share of the negroes, without providing any part of the 
stock. 

This was a fair proposal, it must he confessed, had it 
been made to any one that had not had a settlement and 
plantation of his own to look after, which was in a fair way 
of becoming very considerable, and with a good stock 
upon it. But for me, who had nothing to do but go on 
as I had begun, for three or four years more, in order to 
be worth three or four thousand pounds sterling, — for me 
to think of such a voyage, was the most preposterous 
thing that ever man in such circumstances could be 
guilty of. 

But I, who was born to be my own destroyer, could no 
more resist the offer, than I could restrain my first ram- 
bling designs, when my father’s good counsel was lost 
upon me. In a word, I told' them I would go with all my 
heart, if they would undertake to look after my planta- 
tion in my absence, and would dispose of it to such as 
I should direct if I miscarried. This they all engaged to 
do, and entered into writings or covenants to do so. I 
made a formal will, disposing of my plantation and effects, 
in case of my death, making the captain of the ship who 
saved my life, as before, my universal heir ; but obliging 
him to dispose of my effects as I had directed in my will, 
one-half of the produce being to himself, and the other 
to be shipped to England. 

1 A person appointed by the owners of a ship to have charge of 
the cargo. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


83 


In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my 
effects, and keep up my plantation. Had I used half as 
much prudence in looking into my own interest, and 
making a judgment of what I ought to have done and not 
to have done, I had certainly never gone away from so 
prosperous an undertaking, leaving all the probable views 
of a thriving circumstance, and gone upon a voyage to 
sea, attended with all its common hazards ; to say nothing 
of the reasons I had to expect particular misfortunes to 
myself. 

But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the dictates 
of my fancy rather than my reason. Accordingly, the 
ship being fitted out, and the cargo furnished, and all 
things done as by agreement by my partners in the 
voyage, I went on board in an evil hour, the first of Sep- 
tember — being the same day eight years that I went 
from my father and mother at Hull, in order to act the 
rebel to their authority, and the fool to my own interest. 


34 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


CHAPTER VI. 


UR ship was about one hundred and twenty tons 



yj burden, carried six guns, and fourteen men, besides 
the master, his boy, and myself. We had on board no 
large cargo of goods, except of such toys as were fit for 
our trade with the negroes, such as beads, bits of glass, 
shells, and odd trifles, especially little looking-glasses, 
knives, scissors, hatchets, and the like. 

The same day I went on board we set sail, standing 
away to the northward upon our own coast, with design 
to stretch over for the African coast when w^e should 
reach about ten dr twelve degrees of northern latitude. 
We had very good weather, only excessively hot, all the 
way upon our own coast till we came to the height of 
Cape St. Augustino ; from whence, keeping farther off at 
sea, we lost sight of land, and steered as if we were bound 
for the isle Fernand de Noronha, holding our course N. E. 
by N. and leaving those isles on the east. In this course 
we passed the line 1 in about twelve days’ time, and were 
by our last observation in seven degrees twenty- two min- 
utes northern latitude, when a violent tornado or hurri- 
cane took us quite out of our knowledge. It began from 
the south-east, came about to the north-west, and then 
settled into the north-east, from whence it blew in such a 
terrible manner, that for twelve days together we could 
do nothing but drive. Scudding away before it, we let it 


The line of the equator. 


OF ROBINS OX CRUSOE. 


35 


carry us whither ever fate and the fury of the winds 
directed. During these twelve days I need not say that 
I expected every day to be swallowed up, nor indeed did 
any in the ship expect to save their lives. 

In this distress, besides the terror of the storm, one of 
our men died of fever, and one man and the boy were 
washed overboard. About the twelfth day, the weather 
abating a little, the master made an observation as well as 
he could, and found he was in about eleven degrees north 
latitude, but that he was twenty-two degrees of longitude 
west from Cape St. Augustino ; 1 so that he found he was 
gotten upon the coast of Guinea, or the north part of 
Brazil, beyond the river Amazon, toward that of the river 
Oronoco, commonly called the Great River, and began to 
consult with me what course he should take, for the ship 
was leaky and very much disabled, and he was going 
directly back to the coast of Brazil. 

I was positively against that ; and, looking over the 
charts of the sea-coast of America with him, we concluded 
there was no inhabited country for us to have recourse 
to, till we came within the circle of the Carribee Islands. 
Therefore, we resolved to stand away for Barbadoes, 
which, by keeping off at sea, to avoid the indraught of 
the bay or gulf of Mexico, we might easily reach, as we 
hoped, in about fifteen days’ sail ; whereas, we could not 
possibly make our voyage to the coast of Africa without 
some assistance, both to our ship and to ourselves. 

With this design we changed our course, and steered 
away 1ST. W. by W. in order to reach some of our English 
islands, where I hoped for relief. But our voyage was 

1 The young reader should trace upon the map the course of the 
ship, as shown by the latitude and longitude mentioned in this chapter. 


36 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


otherwise determined ; for, being in the latitude of twelve 
degrees eighteen minutes, a second storm came upon us, 
which carried us away with the same impetuosity west- 
ward, and drove us so out of the very way of all human 
commerce, that had all our lives been saved, as to the sea, 
we were rather in danger of being devoured by savages 
than ever returning to our own country. 

In this distress, the wind still blowing very hard, one of 
our men early in the morning cried out, “Land!” We 
had no sooner run out of the cabin to look out, in hopes 
of seeing whereabouts in the world we were, but the ship 
struck upon sand, and, in a moment, her motion being 
so stopped, the sea broke over her in such a manner, that 
we expected we should all have perished immediately. 
We were immediately driven into our close quarters, to 
shelter us from the very foam and spray of the sea. 

It is not easy for any one, who has not been in the like 
condition, to describe or conceive the consternation of 
men in such circumstances. We knew nothing where we 
were, or upon what land it was we were driven, whether 
an island or the main, whether inhabited or not inhabited. 
As the rage of the wind was still great, though rather 
less than at first, we could not so much as hope to have 
the ship hold many minutes without breaking in pieces, 
unless the winds, by a kind of miracle, should turn imme- 
diately about. In a word, we sat looking one upon 
another, expecting death every moment, and every man 
acting as if preparing for another world, for there was lit- 
tle or nothing more for us to do in this. That which was 
our present comfort, and all the comfort we had, was, that 
contrary to our expectation the ship did not break yet, and 
that the master said the wind began to abate. 


OF ROBINSON CliUSOE. 


.37 


Now, though we found that the wind did a little abate, 
yet the ship having thus struck upon the sand, and stick- 
ing too fast for us to expect her getting off, we were in a 
dreadful condition indeed, and had nothing to do but to 
think of saving our lives as well as we could. We had a 
boat at our stern just before the storm, but she was first 
stove by dashing against the ship’s rudder, and in the next 
place she broke away, and either sunk or was driven off to 
sea, so there was no hope from her. We had another boat 
on board, but how to get her off into the sea was a doubt- 
ful thing. However, there was no room to debate, for we 
fancied the ship would break in pieces every minute, and 
some told us she was actually broken already. 

In this distress, the mate of our vessel lays hold of the 
boat, and with the help of the rest of the men, got her 
over the ship’s side, and getting all into her, we let go, 
and committed ourselves, being eleven in number, to God’s 
mercy and the wild sea. 

And now our case was very dismal indeed ; for we all 
saw plainly, that the sea went so high, that the boat could 
not live, and that we should be inevitably drowned. As 
to making sail, we had none, nor, if we had, could we have 
done anything with it. So we worked at the oar towards 
the land, though with heavy hearts, like men going to 
execution; for we all knew, that when the boat came 
nearer the shore she would be dashed in a thousand pieces 
by the breach of the sea. However, we committed our 
souls to Go*d in the most earnest manner, and the wind 
driving us towards the shore, we hastened our destruction 
with our own hands, pulling as well as we could towards 
land. 

What the shore was, whether rock or sand, whether 


38 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


steep or shoal, we knew not. The only hope that could 
rationally give us the least shadow of expectation was, if 
we might happen into some bay or gulf, or the mouth of 
some river, where by great chance we might run our boat 
in, or get under the lee of the land, and perhaps make 
smooth water. 

After we had rowed, or rather driven, about a league 
and a half, as we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountain- 
like, came rolling a-stern of us, and plainly bade us expect 
the coup-de-grace d In a word, it took us with such a fury, 
that it overset the boat at once; and we were all swal- 
lowed up in a moment. 

Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I 
felt when I sunk into the water. Though I swam very 
well, yet I could not deliver myself from the waves so as 
to draw breath, till that wave having driven me, or rather 
carried me, a vast way on towards the shore, and having 
spent itself, went back, and left me upon the land almost 
dry, but half dead with the water I took in. I had so 
much presence of mind, as well as breath left, that seeing 
myself nearer the main land than I expected, I got upon 
my feet, and endeavored to make on towards the land as 
fast as I could, before another wave should return and 
take me up again. But I soon found it was impossible to 
avoid it ; for I saw the sea come after me as high as a 
great hill, and as furious as an enemy which I had no 
means or strength to contend with. My business was to 
hold my breath, and raise myself upon the water, if I could ; 
and so by swimming to preserve my breathing, and pilot 
myself towards the shore, if possible. My greatest con- 
cern now being that the sea, as it would carry me a great 
1 The blow that would kill us. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


39 


way towards the shore when it came on, might not carry 
me back again with it when it gave back towards the 
sea. 

The wave that came upon me again buried me at once 
twenty or thirty feet deep in its own body, and I could 
feel myself carried with a mighty force and swiftness 
towards the shore a very great way ; but I held my breath, 
and assisted myself to swim still forward with all my 
might. I was ready to burst with holding my breath, 
when, as I felt myself rising up, to my immediate relief, 
I found my head and hands shoot out above the surface 
of the water. Though it was not two seconds of time 
that I could keep myself so, yet it relieved me greatly, 
gave me breath and new courage. I was covered again 
with water a good while, but not so long but I held it 
out. Finding the water had spent itself, and began to 
return, I struck forward against the return of the waves, 
and felt ground again with my feet. I stood still a few 
moments to recover breath, and till the water went from 
me, and then took to my heels and ran with what strength 
I had farther towards the shore. But neither would this 
deliver me from the fury of the sea, which ,came pouring 
in after me again, and twice more I was lifted up by the 
waves and carried forwards as before, the shore being 
very flat. 

The last time of these two had well near been fatal to 
me. The sea having hurried me along as before, landed 
me, or rather dashed me, against a piece of a rock, and that 
with such force, that it left me senseless, and indeed help- 
less, as to my own deliverance ; for, the blow taking my 
side and breast, beat the breath, as it were, quite out of 
my body. Had it not returned again immediately, I must 


40 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


have been strangled in the water ; but I recovered a little 
before the return of the waves, and seeing I should be 
covered again with the water, I resolved to hold fast by a 
piece of the rock, and so hold my breath, if possible, till 
the wave went back. Now, as the waves were not so 
high as at first, being near land, I held my hold till the 
wave abated, and then fetched another run, which brought 
me so near the shore that the next wave, though it went 
over me, yet did not so swallow me up as to carry me 
away. The next run I took I got to the mainland, where, 
to my great comfort, I clambered up the clefts of the 
shore, and sat me down upon the grass, free from danger, 
and quite out of the reach of the water. 

I was now landed and safe on shore, and began to look 
up and thank God that my life was saved in a case where- 
in there was, some minutes before, scarce any room to 
hope. I believe it is impossible to express to the life 
what the ecstasies and transports of the soul are, when it 
is so saved, as I may say, out of the very grave. I walked 
about on the shore, lifting up my hands, and my whole 
being, as I may say, wrapt up in the contemplation of my 
deliverance, making a thousand gestures and motions 
which I cannot describe, reflecting upon all my comrades 
that were drowned, and that there should not be one soul 
saved but tiayself. As for them, I never saw them after- 
wards, or any sign of them, except three of their hats, one 
cap, and two shoes that were not fellows. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


41 


CHAPTER VII. 

A FTER I had solaced my mind with the comfortable 
part of my condition, I began to look around me 
to see what kind of place I was in, and what was next to 
be done. I soon found my comforts abate, and that, in 
a word, I had a dreadful deliverance. For, I was wet, 
had no clothes to shift me, nor anything either to eat 
or drink to comfort me ; neither did I see any prospect 
before me, but that of perishing with hunger, or being 
devoured by wild beasts. That which was particularly 
afflicting to me, was that I had no weapon either to hunt 
and kill any creature for my sustenance, or to defend 
myself against any other creature that might desire to 
kill me for theirs. In a word, I had nothing about me 
but a knife, a tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco in a box ; 
this was all my provision, and this threw me into terrible 
agonies of mind, that for a while I ran about like a mad- 
man. Night coming upon me, I began with a heavy 
heart to consider what would be my lot if there were any 
ravenous beasts in that country, seeing at night they 
always come abroad for their prey. 

All the remedy that offered to my thoughts at that time 
was, to get up into a thick., bushy tree like a fir, but 
thorny, which grew near me, and where I resolved to sit 
all night, and consider the next day what death I should 
die, for, as yet, I saw no prospect of life. I walked about 
a furlong from the shore, to see if I could find any fresh 


42 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


water to drink, which I did, to my great joy. Having 
drank, and put a little tobacco in my mouth to prevent 
hunger, I went to the tree, and getting up into it, endeav- 
ored to place myself so that if I should sleep I might 
not fall. Having cut me a short stick, like a truncheon, 
for my defence, I took up my lodging, and being exces- 
sively fatigued, fell fast asleep, and slept as comfortably 
as I believe few could have done in my condition. 

When I awoke, it was broad day, the weather clear, 
and the storm abated, so that the sea did not rage and 
swell as before ; but that which surprised me most was, 
that the ship was lifted off in the night from the sand 
where she lay, by the swelling of the tide, and was driven 
up almost as far as the rock which I first mentioned, 
where I had been so bruised by dashing against it. 
This being within about a mile from the shore where 
I was, and the ship seeming to stand upright still, I wished 
myself on board, that, at least, I might save some neces- 
sary things for my use. 

When I came down from my apartment in the tree, I 
looked about me again, and the first thing I found was 
the boat, which lay as the wind and the sea had tossed 
her, up upon the land, about two miles on my right hand. I 
walked as far as I could upon the shore to get to her, but 
found a neck or inlet of water between me and the boat, 
which was about half a mile broad ; so I came back for the 
present, being more intent upon getting at the ship, where 
I hoped to find something for my present subsistence. 

A little after noon I found the sea very calm, and the 
tide ebbed so far out that I could come within a quarter of 
a mile of the ship. Here I found a fresh renewing of my 
grief ; for I saw, evidently, that if we had kept on board, 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


43 


we had been all safe, that is to say, we had all got safe 
on shore, and I had not been so miserable as to be left 
entirely destitute of all comfort and company, as I now 
was. This forced tears from my eyes again ; but, as there 
was little relief in that, I resolved, if possible to get to 
the ship ; so I pulled off my clothes, for the weather was 
hot to extremity, and took the water. But, when I came 
to the ship, my difficulty was still greater to know how to 
get on board, for as she lay aground, and high out of the 
water, there was nothing within my reach to lay hold of. 
I swam round her twice, and the second time I spied a 
small piece of rope, which I wondered I did not see at 
first, hanging down by the fore-chains so low, that with 
great difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that 
rope got up into the forecastle of the ship. Here I found 
that the ship was bulged, and had a great deal of water 
in her hold, but that she lay so on the side of a bank of 
hard sand, or rather earth, that her stern lay lifted up 
upon the bank, and her head low almost to the water. 
By this means all her quarter was free, and all that was 
in that part was dry ; for, you may be sure, my first work 
was to search and see what was spoiled and what was 
free. T found that all the ship’s provisions were dry and 
untouched by the water ; and, being very well disposed 
to eat, I went to the bread-room and filled my pockets 
with biscuit, and ate it as I went about other things, for 
I had no time to lose. Now I wanted nothing but a boat 
to furnish myself with many things which I foresaw would 
be very necessary to me. 

It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to 
be had, and this extremity roused my application. We 
had several spare yards, and two or three large spars of 


44 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


wood, and a spare topmast or two in the ship. I resolved 
to fall to work with these, and flung as many of them 
overboard as I could manage for their weight, tying every 
one with a rope that they might not drive away. When 
this was done I went down the ship’s side, and pulling 
them to me, I tied four of them fast together at both 
ends, as well as I could in the form of a raft. Laying 
two or three short pieces of plank upon them cross-ways, 
I found I could walk upon it very well, but that it 
was not able to bear any great weight, the pieces being 
too light. So I went to work, and with the carpenter’s 
saw I cut a spare topmast into three lengths, and added 
them to my raft with a great deal of labor and pains. 
But hope of furnishing myself with necessaries encour- 
aged me to go beyond what I should have been able to 
have done upon another occasion. 

My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable 
weight. My next care was what to load it with, and how 
to preserve what I laid upon it from the surf of the sea ; 
but I was not long considering this. I first laid all the 
planks or boards upon it that I could get, and having 
considered well what I most wanted, I first got three of 
the seamen’s chests, which I had broken open and emp- 
tied, and lowered them down upon my raft. The first of 
these I filled with provisions, namely, bread, rice, three 
Dutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goat’s flesh, which we 
lived much upon, and a little remainder of European corn 
which had been laid by for some fowls which we brought 
to sea with us. There had been some barley and wheat 
together; but, to my great disappointment, I found after- 
wards that the rats had eaten or spoiled it all. As for 
liquors, I found several cases of bottles belonging to our 


OF It OB IN SOX CRUSOE. 


45 


skipper, in which were some cordial waters, and in all 
about five or six gallons of rack 1 ; these I stowed by them- 
selves, there being no need to put them into the chest, 
nor no room for them. While I was doing this, I found 
the tide began to flow, though very calm ; and I had the 
mortification to see my coat, shirt, and waistcoat, which I 
had left on shore, upon the sand, swim away. As for my 
breeches, which were only linen and open-kneed, I swam 
on board in them and my stockings. However, this put 
me upon rummaging for clothes, of which I found enough, 
but took no more than I wanted for present use ; for I 
had other things which my eye was more upon : as, first, 
tools to work with on shore. It was after long searching 
that I found out the carpenter’s chest, which was indeed 
a very useful prize to me, and much more valuable than a 
ship-load of gold would have been at that time. I got it. 
down to my raft, even whole as it was, without losing time 
to look into it, for I knew in general what it contained. 

My next care Avas for some ammunition and arms. 
There were two very good fowling-pieces in the great 
cabin, and two pistols ; these I secured first, with some 
powder-horns, and a small bag of shot, and two old rusty 
swords. I knew there were three barrels of powder in 
the ship, but knew not where our gunner had stowed 
them ; but with much search I found them, two of them 
dry and good, the third had taken water. Those two I 
got to my raft with the arms. And now I thought myself 
pretty well freighted, and began to think how I should 
get to shore with them, having neither sail, oar, nor rud- 
der, and the least capful of wind would have overset all 
my navigation. 


1 Spirituous liquors. 


46 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


I had three encouragements : a smooth, calm sea, the 
tide rising and setting into the shore, and what little 
wind there was blew me towards the land. Thus, having 
found two or three broken oars belonging to the boat, 
and, besides the tools which were in the chest, two saws, 
an axe, and a hammer, with this cargo I put to sea. For 
a mile, or thereabouts, my raft went very well, only that I 
found it drive a little distant from the place where I had 
landed before, by which I perceived that there was some 
indraft of the water, and consequently I hoped to find 
some creek or river there, which I might make use of as a 
port to get to land with my cargo. 

As I imagined, so it was. There appeared before me a 
little opening of the land, and I found a strong current of 
the tide setting into it, so I guided my raft as well as I 
could to keep in the middle of the stream. But here I 
had like to have suffered a second shipwreck, which, if 
I had, I think verily would have broke my heart. Know- 
ing nothing of the coast, one end of my raft ran aground 
upon a shoal, and not being aground at the other end, it 
wanted but a little that all my cargo had slipped off 
towards that end that was afloat, and so fallen into the 
water. I did my utmost, by setting my back against the 
chests, to keep them in their places, but could not thrust 
off the raft with all my strength, neither durst I stir from 
the posture I was in ; but, holding up the chests with all 
my might, stood in that manner near half an hour, in 
which time the rising of the water brought me a little 
more upon a level. A little after, the water still rising, 
my raft floated again, and I thrust her off with the oar I 
had into the channel. Then, driving up higher, I at 
length found myself in the mouth of a little river, with 


OF ROBINS OX CRUSOE. 


47 


land on both sides, and a strong current or tide running 
up. I looked on both sides for a proper place to get to 
shore, for I was not willing to be driven too high up the 
river, hoping in time to see some ship at sea, and there- 
fore resolved to place myself as near the coast as I could. 

At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the 
creek, to which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided 
my raft, and at last got so near, that, reaching ground 
with my oar, I could thrust her directly in. But here 
I had liked to have dipped all my cargo in the sea again ; 
for that shore lying pretty steep, that is to say, sloping, 
there was no place to land, but where one end of the 
float, if it run on shore, would lie so high, and the other 
sink so low, that it would endanger my cargo again. All 
that I could do, was to wait till the tide was at the high- 
est, keeping the raft with my oar like an anchor to hold 
the side of it fast to the shore, near a flat piece of ground, 
which I expected the water would flow over; and so it 
did. As soon as I found water enough (for my raft drew 
about a foot of water), I thrust her on upon that flat piece 
of ground, and there fastened or moored her by sticking 
my two broken oars into the ground, — one on one side near 
one end, and one on the other side near the other end. 
Thus I lay till the water ebbed away, and left my raft and 
all my cargo safe on shore. 


48 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


CHAPTER VIII. 


Y next work was to view the country, and seek a 



i.VJL proper place for my habitation, and where to stow 
my goods to secure them from whatever might happen. 
Where I was I yet knew not ; whether on the continent 
or on an island, whether inhabited or not inhabited, 
whether in danger of wild beasts or not. There was a 
hill not above a mile from me, which rose up very steep 
and high, and which seemed to overtop some other hills 
which lay as in a ridge from it northward. I took out 
one of the fowling-pieces and one of the pistols and a horn 
of powder, and thus armed, I travelled for discovery up 
to the top of that hill. After I had with great labor and 
difficulty got to the top, I saw that I was on an island 
environed everyway with the sea. There was no land to 
be seen, except some rocks which lay a great way off, and 
two small islands less than this, which lay about three 
leagues to the west. 

I found also that the island I was on was barren, and, 
t as I saw good reason to believe, uninhabited, except by 
wild beasts, of which, however, I saw none. I saw abun- 
dance of fowls, but knew not their kinds, neither when I 
killed them could I tell what was fit for food, and what 
not. At my coming back, I shot at a great bird, which I 
saw sitting upon a tree on the side of a great wood, — I 
believe it was the first gun that had been fired there since 
the creation of the world. I had no sooner fired, but from 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


49 


all parts of the wood there arose an innumerable number 
of fowls of many sorts, making a confused screaming, and 
crying every one according to his usual note ; but not one 
of them of any kind that I knew. As for the creature I 
killed, I took it to be a kind of hawk, its color and beak 
resembling it, but had no talons or claws more than com- 
mon ; its flesh was carrion and fit for nothing. 

Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, 
and fell to work to bring my cargo on shore, which took 
me up the rest of that day. What to do with myself at 
night I knew not, nor indeed did I know where to rest ; 
for I was afraid to lie down on the ground, not knowing 
but some wild beast might devour me, though, as I after- 
wards found, there was really no need for those fears. 

However, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round 
with the chests and boards that I had brought on shore, 
and made a kind of a hut for that night’s lodging. As 
for food, I yet saw not which way to supply myself, 
except that I had seen two or three creatures, like hares, 
run out of the wood where I shot the bird. 

I now began to consider that I might yet get a great 
many things out of the ship which would be useful to me, 
and particularly some of the rigging and sails, and such 
other things as might come to land, and I resolved to 
make another voyage on board the vessel, if possible. As I 
knew that the first storm that blew must necessarily break 
her all in pieces, I resolved to set all other things apart 
till I got everything out of the ship that I could get. 
Then I called a council, that is to say, in my thoughts, 
whether I should take back the raft. But this appeared 
impracticable ; so I resolved to go as before, when the tide 
was down. I did so, only that I stripped before I went 


50 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


from my hut, having nothing on but a checkered shirt, 
and a pair of linen trousers, and a pair of pumps on my 
feet. 

I got on board the ship, as before, and prepared a sec- 
ond raft. Having had experience of the first, I neither 
made this so unwieldy, nor loaded it so hard; but yet 
I brought away several things very useful to me. In the 
carpenter’s stores, I found two or three bags full of nails 
and spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, 
and, above all, that most useful thing called a grindstone. 
All these I secured, together with several things belong- 
ing to the gunner, particularly two or three iron crows, 
and two barrels of musket-bullets, seven muskets, and 
another fowling-piece, with some small quantity of pow- 
der more, a large bag full of small shot, and a great roll 
of sheet lead. This last was so heavy, I could not hoist 
it up to get it over the ship’s side. Besides these things, 
I took all the men’s clothes that I could find, and a spare 
fore top-sail, hammock, and some bedding. With this I 
loaded my second raft, and brought all safe on shore, to 
my very great comfort. 

I was under some apprehensions during my absence 
from the land, that, at least, my provisions might be 
devoured on shore. But, when I came back, I found no 
sign of any visitor, only there sat a creature like a wild 
cat upon one of the chests, which, when I came towards 
it, ran away a little distance, and then stood still. She 
sat very composed and unconcerned, and looked full in 
my face, as if she had a mind to be acquainted with me. 
I presented my gun at her, but, as she did not understand 
it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she offer 
to stir away. I tossed her a bit of biscuit ; though, by the 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


51 


way, I was not very free of it, for my store was not great. 
However, I spared her a bit, I say, and she went to it, 
smelled it, ate it, and looked as pleased for more ; but I 
thanked her, and could spare no more, so she marched off. 

Having got my second cargo on shore, though I was 
fain to open the barrels of powder, and bring them by 
parcels (for they were too heavy, being large casks), I 
went to work to make me a little tent with the sail and 
some poles which I cut for that purpose. Into this tent 
I brought everything that I knew would spoil, either with 
rain or sun, and I piled all the empty chests and casks up 
in a circle round the tent, to fortify it from any sudden 
attempt, either from man or beast. 

When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the 
tent with some boards within, and an empty chest set 
up on end without. Spreading one of the beds on the 
ground, laying my two pistols just at my head, and my 
gun at length by me, I went to bed for the first time, 
and slept very quietly all night, being very weary; for 
the night before I had slept little, and had labored very 
hard all day, as well to fetch all those things from the 
ship as to get them on shore. 

I had the biggest magazine of all kinds, now, that ever 
was laid up, I believe, for one man, but I was not satis- 
fied still ; for, while the ship sat upright in that posture, 
I thought I ought to get everything out of her that I 
could. So every day at low water I went on board, and 
brought away something or other. The third time I 
went, I brought away as much of the rigging as I could, 
as, also, all the small ropes and rope twine I could get, 
with a piece of spare canvas, with which to mend the 
sails upon occasion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder. 


52 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


In a word, I brought away all the sails, first and last, 
only that 1 was fain to cut them in pieces, and bring as 
much at a time as I could ; for they were no more useful 
to be sails, but as mere canvas only. 

But that which comforted me more still, was that, last 
of all, after I had made five or six such voyages as these, 
and thought I had nothing more to expect from the ship 
that was worth my meddling with, I say, after all this, I 
found a great hogshead of bread, and three large runlets 1 of 
rum or spirits, and a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine 
flour. This was surprising to me, because I had given 
over expecting any more provisions, except what was 
spoiled by the water. I soon emptied the hogshead of 
that bread, and wrapped it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces 
of the sails which I cut out ; and, in a word, I got all this 
safe on shore also. 

The next day I made another voyage. Having plun- 
dered the ship of what was portable and fit tp hand out, 
I began with the cables. Cutting the great cable into 
pieces such as I could move, I got two cables and a 
hawser on shore, with all the iron-work I could get ; and 
having cut down the spritsail-yard, and the mizzen-yard, 
and everything I could to make a large raft, I loaded it 
with all those heavy goods and came away. But my 
good luck began now to leave me ; for this raft was so 
unwieldy and so overladen, that after I had entered the 
little cove where I had landed the rest of my goods, not 
being able to guide it so handily as I did the other, it 
overset, and threw me and all my cargo into the water. 
As for myself, it was no great harm, for I was near the 
shore ; but, as to my cargo, it was great part of it lost, 

1 Small casks. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


53 


especially the iron, which I expected would have been of 
great use to me. However, when the tide was out, I got 
most of the pieces of cable ashore, and some of the iron, 
though with infinite labor; for I was fain to dip for it 
into the water — a work which fatigued me very much. 
After this, I went every day on board, and brought away 
what I could get. 

I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been 
eleven times on board the ship, in which time I had 
brought away all that one pair of hands could be well 
supposed capable to bring; though I believe verily, had 
the calm weather held, I should have brought away the 
whole ship, piece by piece. But, preparing the twelfth 
time to go on board, I found the wind begin to rise. 
However, at low wader I went on board, and, though I 
thought I had rummaged the cabin so effectually that 
nothing more could be found, yet I discovered a locker 
with drawers in it, in one of which I found two or three 
razors, and one pair of large scissors, with some ten or a 
dozen of good knives and forks. In another I found 
about thirty-six pounds value in money, some European 
coin, some Brazil, some pieces of eight, some gold, some 
silver. 

I smiled to myself at the sight of this money. “O 
Drug!” said I, aloud, u wliat art thou good for? Thou 
art not worth to me, no, not the taking off the ground. 
One of these knives is worth all this heap. I have no 
manner of use for thee. Remain where thou art, and go 
to the bottom, as a creature whose life is not worth sav- 
ing.” However, upon second thoughts, I took it away, 
and wrapping all this in a piece of canvas, I began to 
think of making another raft. But, while I was preparing 


54 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


this, I found the sky overcast, and the wind began to rise, 
and in a quarter of an hour it blew a fresh gale from the 
shore. It presently occurred to me, that it was in vain 
to pretend to make a raft with the wind off shore, and 
that it was my business to be gone before the tide of flood 
began, otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore at 
all. Accordingly, I let myself down into the water, and 
swam across the channel, which lay between the ship and 
the sands, and even that with difficulty enough, partly 
with the weight of things I had about me, and partly the 
roughness of the water ; for the wind rose very hastily, 
and before it was quite high water it blew a storm. 

But I was gotten home to my little tent, where I lay 
with all my wealth about me very secure. It blew very 
hard all that night, and in the morning when I looked 
out, behold, no more ship was to be seen. I was a little 
surprised, but recovered myself with this satisfactory re- 
flection ; namely, that I had lost no time, nor abated any 
diligence, to get everything out of her that could be use- 
ful to me; and that, indeed, there was little left in her 
that I was able to bring away, if I had had more time. 

I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of 
anything out of her, except what might drive on shore 
from her wreck, as indeed divers pieces of her afterwards 
did ; but those things were of small use to me. 

My thoughts were now wholly employed about secur- 
ing myself against either savages (if any should appear) 
or wild beasts, if any were in the island. I had many 
thoughts of the method how to do this, and what kind of 
dwelling to make ; whether I should make me a cave in 
the earth or a tent upon the earth. I resolved upon both, 
of the manner and description of which it may not be 
improper to give an account. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


55 


I soon found the place I was in was not for my settle- 
ment, particularly because it was upon a low moorish 
ground near the sea, and I believed would not be whole- 
some, and more particularly because there was no fresh 
water near it ; so I resolved to find a more healthy and 
more convenient spot of ground. 

I consulted several things in my situation which I 
found would be proper for me. Health and fresh water, 
I just now mentioned ; shelter from the heat of the sun ; 
security from ravenous creatures, whether man or beast ; 
a view to the sea, that if God sent any ship in sight, I 
might not lose any advantage for my deliverance, of 
which I was not willing to banish all my expectation yet. 

In search of a place proper for this, I found a little 
plain on the side of a rising hill, whose front towards this 
little plain was steep as a house-side, so that nothing could 
come down upon me from the top. On the side of this 
rock there was a hollow place, worn a little way in, like 
the entrance or door of a cave ; but there was not really 
any cave or way into the rock at all. 

On the Hat of the green, just before this hollow place, 
I resolved to pitch my tent. This plain was not above an 
hundred yards broad, and about twice as long, and lay 
like a green before my door. At the end it descended 
irregularly every way down into the low grounds by the 
sea-side. It was on the N. N. W. side of the hill, so that 
I was sheltered from the heat every day, till it came to a 
W. and by S. sun, or thereabouts, which in those countries 
is near the setting. 

Before I set up my tent, I drew a half-circle before the 
hollow place, which took in about ten yards in its semi- 
diameter, from the rock, and twenty yards in its diameter, 
from its beginning and ending. 


56 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


In this half circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, 
driving them into the ground till they stood very firm, 
like piles, the biggest end being out of the ground about 
five feet and a half, and sharpened on the top. The two 
rows did not stand above six inches from one another. 

Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the 
ship, and laid them in rows one upon another, within the 
circle between these two rows of stakes, up to the top, 
placing other stakes in the inside, leaning against them, 
about two feet and a half high, like a spur to a post. 

This fence was so strong, that neither man nor beast 
could get into it or over it. This cost me a great deal 
of time and labor, especially to cut the piles in the woods, 
bring them to the place, and drive them into the earth. 

The entrance into this place I made to be, not by a 
door, but by a short ladder to go over the top. When 
I was in, I lifted the ladder over after me. So I was com- 
pletely fenced in and fortified, as I thought, from all the 
world, and consequently slept secure in the night, which 
otherwise I could not have done ; though, as it appeared 
afterward, there was no need of all this caution from the 
enemies that I apprehended danger from. 

Into this fence or fortress, with infinite labor, I carried 
all my riches, all my provisions, ammunition, and stores, 
of which you have the account above. I made me a large 
tent, which, to preserve me from the rains, that in one 
part of the year are very violent there, I made double ; 
namely, one smaller tent within, and one larger tent 
above it, and covered the uppermost with a large tarpau- 
lin 1 which I had saved among the sails. 

And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which 
1 A piece of canvas covered with tar to make it water-proof. 


OF ROBINSON CBTJSOE. 


57 


I had brought on shore, but in a hammock, which was 
indeed a very good one, and belonged to the mate of the 
ship. 

Into this tent I brought all my provisions and every- 
thing that would spoil by the wet. Having thus enclosed 
all my goods, I made up the entrance, which till now I 
had left open, and so passed and repassed, as I said, 
by a short ladder. 

When I had done this, I began to work my way into 
the rock; and bringing all the earth and stones that I 
dug out through my tent, I laid them up within my fence 
in the nature of a terrace, so that it raised the ground 
within about a foot and a half. Thus I made me a cave 
just behind my tent, which served me like a cellar to my 
house. 

It cost me much labor, and many days, before all these 
things were brought to perfection, and therefore I must 
go back to some other things which took up some of my 
thoughts. At the same time it happened, after .1 had laid 
my scheme for setting up my tent and making the cave, 
that, a storm of rain falling from a thick, dark cloud, a 
sudden flash of lightning happened, and after that a great 
clap of thunder, as is naturally the effect of it. I was not 
so much surprised with the lightning, as I was with a 
thought which darted into my mind as swift as the light- 
ning itself : “ O my powder ! ” My very heart sunk within 
me, when I thought that at one blast all my powder might 
be destroyed; on which, not my defence only, but the 
providing me with food, as I thought, entirely depended. 
I was nothing near so anxious about my own danger; 
though, had the powder taken fire, I had never known 
what had hurt me. 


58 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


Such impression did this make upon me, that after the 
storm was over I laid aside all my works, my building, 
and fortifying, and applied myself to make bags and boxes 
to separate the powder, and keep it a little and a little 
in a parcel, in hope that whatever might come, it might 
not all take fire at once ; and to keep it so apart, that it 
should not be possible to make one part fire another. I 
finished this work in about a fortnight; and 1 think my 
powder, which in all was about two hundred and forty 
pounds’ weight, was divided in not less than a hundred 
parcels. As to the barrel that had been wet, I did not ap- 
prehend any danger from that, so I placed it in my new 
cave, which in my fancy I called my kitchen. The rest I 
hid up and down in holes among the rocks, so that no wet 
might come to it, marking very carefully where I laid it. 

In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out 
once, at least, every day with my gun, as well to divert 
myself, as to see if I could kill anything fit for food, and, 
as near as I could, to acquaint myself with what the 
island produced. The first time I went out, I presently 
discovered that there were goats in the island, which was 
a great satisfaction to me ; but then it was attended with 
this misfortune to me, namely, that they were so shy, so 
subtle, and so swift of foot, that it was the most difficult 
thing in the world to come at them. But I was not dis- 
couraged at this, not doubting but I might now and then 
shoot one, as it soon happened; for, after I had found 
their haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them : 
I observed, if they saw me in the valleys, though they 
were upon the rocks, they would run away as in a terrible 
fright ; but, if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was 
upon the rocks, they took no notice of me. From this 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


59 


I concluded that, by the position of their optics, their 
sight was so directed downward, that they did not readily 
see objects that were above them. So afterwards I took 
this method: I always climbed the rocks first, to get 
above them, and then I had frequently a fair mark. The 
first shot I made among these creatures I killed a she 
goat. This grieved me heartily, because she had a little 
kid by her, to which she gave suck. But when the old one 
fell, the kid stood stockstill by her till I came and took 
her up. When I carried the old one with me upon my 
shoulders, the kid followed me quite to my enclosure. 
I laid down the dam, and took the kid in my arms and 
carried it over my pale, in hopes to have bred it up 
tame ; but it would not eat, so I was forced to kill it and 
eat it myself. These two supplied me with flesh a great 
while, for I ate sparingly, and saved my provisions (my 
bread especially) as much as possibly I could. 

Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely 
necessary to provide a place to make a fire in, and fuel 
to burn. What I did for that, as, also, how I enlarged 
my cave, and what conveniences I made, I shall give a 
full account of in its place ; but I must first give some 
little account of myself, and of my thoughts about living, 
which, it may well be supposed, were not a few. 

I had a dismal prospect of my condition ; for, as I was 
not cast away upon that island without being driven, as 
is said, by a violent storm quite out of the course of our 
intended voyage, and a great way, some hundreds of 
leagues, out of the ordinary course of the trade of man- 
kind, I had great reason to consider it as a determination 
of Heaven that, in this desolate place and in this desolate 
manner, I should end my life. The tears would run 


60 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


plentifully clown my face when I made these reflections, 
and sometimes I would expostulate with myself, why 
Providence should thus completely ruin his creatures, 
and render them so absolutely miserable, so without help, 
abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be 
rational to be thankful for such a life. 

But something always returned swift upon me to check 
these thoughts and reprove me. One day, walking with 
my gun in my hand by the seaside, I was very pensive upon 
the subject of my present condition, when reason, as it 
were, expostulated with me the other way, thus: “Well, 
you are in a desolate condition, it is true ; but pray 
remember, where are the rest of you ? Did not you come 
eleven of you into the boat ? Where are the ten ? Why 
were they not saved and you lost ? Why were you sin- 
gled out? Is it better to be here or there?” and then 
I pointed to the sea. “ All evils are to be considered with 
the good that is in them, and with what worse attends 
them.” 

Then it occurred to me again how well I was furnished 
for my subsistence, and what would have been my case 
if the ship had not floated from the place where she first 
struck, so near the shore that I had time to get all these 
things out of her ? What would have been my case if I 
had been obliged to live in the condition in which I first 
came on shore, without necessaries of life, or necessaries 
to supply and procure them ? “ Particularly,” said I aloud 

(though to myself), “ what should I have done without a 
gun, without ammunition, without any tools to make any- 
thing, or to work with ; without clothes, bedding, a tent, 
or any manner of covering?” Now I had all these to a 
sufficient quantity, and was in a fair way to provide 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


61 


myself in such a manner, as to live without my gun when 
my ammunition was spent, so that 1 had a tolerable view 
of subsisting without any want, as long as I lived. For 
I considered from the beginning how I should provide for 
the accidents that might happen, and for the time that 
was to come, even not only after my ammunition should 
be spent, but even after my health or strength should 
decay. 


62 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


CHAPTER IX. 

A ND now, being about to enter into a melancholy rela- 
tion of a scene of silent life, such, perhaps, as was 
never heard of in the world before, I shall take it from its 
beginning, and continue it in its order. It was, by my ac- 
count, the 30th of September, when, in the manner as above 
said, I first set foot upon this horrid island, when the sun 
being to us, in its autumnal equinox, was almost just over 
my head ; for I reckoned myself, by observation, to be in 
the latitude of 9 degrees and 22 minutes north of the line. 

After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it 
came, into my thoughts that I should lose my reckoning 
of time for want of books and pen and ink, and should 
even forget the sabbath days from the working days. To 
prevent this, I cut it with my knife upon a large post in 
capital letters, and making it into a great cross, I set it 
up on the shore where I first landed ; namely, I came on 
shohe here on the 30th of Sept., 1659. Upon the 
sides of this square post I cut every day a notch with my 
knife, and every seventh notch was as long again as the 
rest, and every first day of the month as long again as 
that long one. Thus I kept my calendar, or weekly, 
monthly, and yearly reckoning of time. 

In the next place, we are to observe, that, among the 
many things which I brought out of the ship in the several 
voyages, which, as above mentioned, I made to it, I got 


OF BOBINSON CBTJSOE. 


63 


several things of less value, but not all less useful to me, 
which I omitted setting down before ; as, in particular, 
pens, ink, and paper ; several parcels in the captain’s, 
mate’s, gunner’s, and carpenter’s keeping; three or four 
compasses, some mathematical instruments, dials, perspec- 
tive glasses, charts, and books of navigation ; all which I 
huddled together, whether I might want them or no. I 
found, also, three very good Bibles which came to me in 
my cargo from England, and which I had packed up 
among my things ; some Portuguese books also, and among 
them two or three prayer-books, and several other books, 
all which I carefully secured. I must not forget, that 
we had in the ship a dog and two cats, of whose eminent 
history I may have occasion to say something in its place ; 
for I carried both the cats with me. As for the dog, he 
jumped out of the ship of himself, and swam on shore to 
me the day after I went on shore with my first cargo, and 
was a trusty servant to me many years. I wanted nothing 
that he could fetch me, or any company that he could 
make up to me ; I only wanted to have him talk to me, 
but that he could not do. As I observed before, I found 
pen, ink, and paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost. 
I shall show, that while my ink lasted, I kept things very 
exact ; but after that was gone I could not, for I could 
not make any ink, by any means that I could devise. 

And this put me in mind that I wanted many things, 
notwithstanding all that I had amassed together ; and of 
these, this of ink was one, as also spade, pickaxe, and 
shovel, to dig or remove the earth; needles, pins, and 
thread. As for linen, 1 I soon learned 4o want that with- 
out much difficulty. 

1 He had very little need of linen, and so was easily reconciled to 
the loss of it. 


64 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


This want of tools made every work I did go on heavily, 
and it was nearly a whole year before I had entirely fin- 
ished my little pale or surrounded habitation. The piles 
or stakes, which were as heavy as I could well lift, were 
a long time in cutting and preparing in the woods, and 
more by far in bringing home. I spent, sometimes, two 
days in cutting and bringing home one of those posts, and 
a third day in driving it into the ground. 

But why need I have been concerned at the tediousness 
of anything I had to do, seeing I had time enough to do 
it in ? nor had I any other employment if that had been 
over, at least that I could foresee, except ranging the 
island to seek for food, which I did more or less every day. 

I have already described my habitation, which was a 
tent under the side of a rock, surrounded with a strong 
pale of posts and cables. I might now rather call it a 
wall, for I raised a kind of wall up against it of turfs, 
about two feet thick on the outside, and, after some time, 
I think it was a year and a half, I raised rafters from it, 
leaning to the rock, and thatched or covered it with boughs 
of trees, and such things as I could get to keep out the 
rain, which I found at^some times of the year very violent. 

I have already observed how I brought all my goods 
into this pale, and into the cave which I bad made behind 
me ; but I must observe, too, that at first this was a con- 
fused heap of goods, which, as they lay in no order, took 
up all my place, and I had no room to turn myself. So 
I set to work to enlarge my cave and work farther into 
the earth ; for it was a loose, sandy rock, which yielded 
easily to the labor I bestowed on it. When I found I 
was pretty safe as to beasts of prey, I worked sideways to 
the right hand into the rock ; and then, turning to the 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


65 


right again, worked quite out, and made me a door to 
come out, on the outside of my pale or fortification. 

This gave me not only egress and regress, as it were, 
a hack way to my tent and to my store-house, but gave 
me room to stow my goods. 

And now I began to apply myself to make such neces- 
sary things as I found I most wanted, as, particularly, a 
chair and a table ; for, without these, I was not able to 
enjoy the few comforts I had in the world. I could not 
write or eat, or do several things with so much pleasure 
without a table. 

So I went to work; and here I must needs observe, 
that, as reason is the substance and original of the mathe- 
matics, so, by stating and squaring everything by reason, 
and by making the most rational judgment of things, 
every man may be, in time, master of every mechanic art. 
I had never handled a tool in my life, and yet, in time, 
by labor, application, and contrivance, I found that I 
wanted nothing but I could have made it, especially if I 
had had tools. However, I made abundance of things, 
even without tools, and some with no more tools than an 
adze and a hatchet, which, perhaps, were never made that 
way before, and that with infinite labor. For example, if 
I wanted a board, I had no other way but to cut down a 
tree, set it on a hedge before me, and hew it flat on either 
side with my axe, till I had brought it to be as thin as a 
plank, and then smooth it with my adze. It is true, by 
this method I could make but one board out of a whole 
tree; but this I had no remedy for but patience, any 
more than I had for the prodigious deal of time and labor 
which it took me to make a plank or board. But my 
time or labor was little worth, and so it was as well 
employed one way as another. 


66 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


However, I made me a table and a chair, and this I did 
out of the short pieces of boards which I brought on my 
raft from the ship. When I had wrought out some boards, 
as above, I made large shelves, of the breadth of a foot 
and a half, one over another, all along one side of my 
cave, on which to lay all my tools, nails, and iron-work, 
and, in a word, to separate everything at large in their 
places, that I might come easily at them. I knocked 
pieces into the wall of the rock, to hang my guns and all 
things that would hang up. 

So that had my cave been to be seen, it looked like a 
general magazine of all necessary things. I had every- 
thing so ready at my hand, that it was a great pleasure to 
me to see all my goods in such order, and especially to 
find my stock of all necessaries so great. 

And now it was that I began to keep a journal of every 
day’s employment ; for, indeed, at first I was in too much 
hurry, and not only hurry as to labor, but in too much 
discomposure of mind, and my journal would have been 
full of many dull things. 

I shall here give you the copy (though in it will be told 
many particulars over again) as long as it lasted; for, 
having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off. 

THE JOURNAL. 

September 30, 1659. I, poor, miserable Robinson Crusoe, 
being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm in the offing, 
came on shore on this dismal, unfortunate island, which 
I called the Island of Despair, all the rest of the ship’s 
company being drowned, and myself almost dead. 

All the rest of that day I spent in afflicting myself, at 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


67 


the dismal circumstances I was brought to ; namely, I had 
neither food, house, clothes, weapon, nor place to fly to, 
and, in despair of any relief, saw nothing but death before 
me, either that I should be devoured by wild beasts, 
murdered by savages, or starved to death for want of food. 
At the approach of night I slept in a tree, for fear of wild 
creatures, but slept soundly, though it rained all night. 

October 1. In the morning I saw, to my great surprise, 
the ship had floated with the high tide, and was driven 
on shore again much nearer the island. This was some 
comfort; for, seeing her sit upright, and not broken to 
pieces, I hoped, if the wind abated, I might get on board, 
and get some food or necessaries out of her for my relief. 
On the other hand, it renewed my grief at the loss of my 
comrades, who, I imagined, if we had all stayed on board, 
might have saved the ship, or at least that they would not 
have been all drowned, as they were; and that, had the 
men been saved, we might, perhaps, have built us a boat 
out of the ruins of the ship, to have carried us to some 
other part of the world. I spent great part of this day 
in perplexing myself on these things ; but, at length, seeing 
the ship almost dry, I went upon the sand as near as I 
could, and then swam on board. This day, also, it con- 
tinued raining, though with no wind at all. 

From the 1st of October to the 24th. All these days 
entirely spent in making several voyages to get all I could 
out of the ship, which I brought on shore, every tide of 
flood, upon rafts. Much rain also in these days, though 
with some intervals of fair weather. It seems this was 
the rainy season. 

Oct. 20. I overset my raft, and all the goods I had got 
upon it ; but, being in shoal water, and the tilings being 


68 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


chiefly heavy, I recovered many of them when the tide 
was out. 

Oct . 25. It rained all night and all day, with some 
gusts of wind, during which time the ship broke in pieces, 
and was no more to be seen, except the wreck of her, and 
that only at low water. I spent this day in covering and 
securing the goods which I had saved, that the rain might 
not spoil them. 

Oct. 26. I walked about the shore almost all day, to 
find out a place to fix my habitation, greatly concerned to 
secure myself from any attack in the night, either from 
wild beasts or men. Toward night I fixed upon a proper 
place under a rock, and marked out a semicircle for my 
encampment, which I resolved to strengthen with a work, 
wall, or fortification made of double piles, lined within 
with cables and without with turf. 

From the 26th to the 30th, I worked very hard in carry- 
ing all my goods to my new habitation, though some part 
of the time it rained exceeding hard. 

The 31st, in the morning, I went out into the island 
with my gun, to seek for some food, and discover the 
country, when I killed a she-goat, and her kid followed 
me home ; which I afterward killed also because it would 
not feed. 

November 1. I set up my tent under a rock, and lay 
there for the first night, making it as large as I could with 
stakes driven in to swing my hammock upon. 

Nov. 2. I set up all my chests and boards, and the 
pieces of timber which made my rafts, and with them 
formed a fence round me, a little within the place I had 
marked out for my fortification. 

Nov. 3. I went out with my gun, and killed two fowls 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


69 


like clucks, which were very good food. In the afternoon 
went to work to make me a table. 

Nov. 4. This morning I began to order my times of 
work, of going out with my gun, time of sleep, and time 
of diversion. Every morning I walked out with my gun 
for two or three hours, if it did not rain; then employed 
myself to work till about eleven o’clock; then ate what I 
had to live on, and from twelve to two I lay down to 
sleep, the weather being excessive hot; and then, in the 
evening, to work again. The working part of this day, 
and of the next, was wholly employed in making my 
table ; for I was yet but a very sorry workman, though 
time and necessity made me a complete natural mechanic 
soon after, as I believe it would do any one else. 

Nov. 5. This day went abroad with my gun and my 
dog, and killed a wild cat; her skin pretty soft, but her 
flesh good for nothing. Every creature I killed I took off 
the skins and preserved them. Coming back by the sea- 
shore, I saw many sorts of sea-fowls, which I did not 
understand ; but was surprised arid almost frightened with 
two or three seals, which, while I was gazing, not well 
knowing what they were, got into the sea, and escaped me 
for that time. 

Nov. 6. After my morning walk I went to work with 
my table again, and finished it, though not to my liking ; 
nor w~as it long before I learned to mend it. 

Nov. T. Now it began to be settled, fair weather. The 
7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and a part of the 12th (for the lltli 
was Sunday), I took wholly up to make me a chair, and 
with much ado brought it to a tolerable shape, but never 
to please me ; and even in the making I pulled it in pieces 
several times. Note. — I soon neglected my keeping Sun- 


70 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


days ; for, omitting my mark for them on my post, I forgot 
which was which. 

Nov. 13. This day it rained, which refreshed me ex- 
ceedingly, and cooled the earth ; but it was accompanied 
with terrible thunder and lightning, which frightened me 
dreadfully for fear of my powder. As soon as it was oyer, 
I resolved to separate my stock of powder into as many 
little parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger. 

Nov. 14, 15, 16. These three days I spent in making 
little square chests or boxes, which might hold about a 
pound or two pounds at most, of powder ; and so, putting 
the powder in, I stowed it in places as secure and remote 
from one another as possible. On one of these three days 
I killed a large bird that was good to eat, but I know not 
what to call it. 

Nov. 17. This day I began to dig behind my tent into 
the rock, to make room for my farther conveniency. 
Note. — Three things I wanted exceeding for this work ; 
namely, a pickaxe, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow or basket ; 
so I desisted from my work, and began to consider how to 
supply that want, and make me some tools. As for a 
pickaxe, I made use of the iron crows, which were proper 
enough, though heavy ; but the next thing was a shovel 
or spade. This was so absolutely necessary, that, indeed, 
I could do nothing without it ; but what kind of one to 
make I knew not. 

Nov. 18. The next day, in searching the woods, I 
found a tree of that wood, or like it, which in the Brazils 
they call the iron tree, for its exceeding hardpess. Of 
this, with great labor and almost spoiling my axe, I cut a 
piece and brought it home too with difficulty enough, for 
it was exceeding heavy. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


71 


The excessive hardness of the wood made me a long 
while upon this machine; for I worked it effectually by 
little and little into the form of a shovel or spade, the 
handle exactly shaped like ours in England, only that the 
broad part having no iron shod upon it at bottom, it would 
not last me so long. However, it served well enough for 
the uses which I had occasion to put it to ; but never was 
a shovel, I believe, made after that fashion, or so long in 
making. 

I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket or a wheel- 
barrow. A basket I could not make by any means, hav- 
ing no such things as twigs that would bend to make 
wicker ware, — at least none yet found out; and as to a 
wheelbarrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel, 
but that I had no notion of, neither did I know how to go 
about it ; besides, I had no possible way to make the iron 
gudgeons for the spindle or axis of the wheel to run in, so 
I gave it over. For carrying away the earth which I dug 
out of the cave, I made me a thing like a hod, which the 
laborers carry mortar in, when they serve the bricklayers. 

This was not so difficult to me as the making the 
shovel; and yet this, and the shovel, and the attempt 
which I made in vain to make a wheelbarrow, took me up 
no less than four days ; I mean always excepting my morn- 
ing walk with my gun, which I seldom failed ; and very 
seldom failed, also, bringing home something to eat. 

Nov. 23. My other work having now stood still be- 
cause of my making these tools, when thej^ were finished, 
I went on, and working every , day, as my strength and 
time allowed, I spent eighteen days entirely in widening 
and deepening my cave, that it might hold my goods 
commodiously. 


72 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


Note. — During all this time, I worked to make this 
room or cave spacious enough to accommodate me as a 
warehouse or magazine, a kitchen, a dining-room, and a 
cellar ; as for my lodging, I kept to the tent, except that 
sometimes in the wet season of the year it rained so hard 
that I could not keep myself dry, which caused me after- 
wards to cover all my place within my pale with long 
poles in the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, and 
load them with flags and large leaves of trees like a 
thatch. 

December 10. I began now to think my cave or vault 
finished ; when, on a sudden (it seems I had made it too 
large), a great quantity of earth fell down from the top 
and one side, so much, that, in short, it frightened me, and 
not without reason, too ; for, if I had been under it, I had 
never wanted a grave-digger. Upon this disaster, I had 
a great deal of work to do over again ; for, I had the loose 
earth to carry out, and, which was of more importance, I 
had the ceiling to prop up, so that I might be sure no 
more would come down. 

Dec. 11. This day I went to work with it accordingly, 
and got two shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with 
two pieces of boards across over each post. This I fin- 
ished the next day, and setting more posts up with boards, 
in about a week more I had the roof secured. The posts, 
standing in rows, served me for partitions to part off my 
house. 

Dec. 17. From this day to the twentieth I placed shelves, 

, and knocked up nails on the posts to hang everything up 
that could be hung up ; and now I began to be in some 
order within doors. 

Dec. 20. Now I carried everything into the cave, and 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


73 


began to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of 
boards, like a dresser, to order my victuals upon ; but 
boards began to be very scarce with me ; also, I made me 
another table. 

Dec . 24. Much rain all night and all day ; no stirring 
out. 

Dec. 25. Rain all day. 

Dec. 26. No rain ; and the earth much cooler than 
before, and pleasanter. 

Dec. 27. Killed a young goat, and lamed another, so 
that I caught it, and led it home by a string. When I 
had it home, I bound and splintered up its leg, which was 
broken. N.B. I took such care of it that it lived, and 
the leg grew well and as strong as ever ; but, by nursing 
it so long, it grew tame, and fed upon the little green at 
my door, and would not go away. This was the first time 
that I entertained a thought of breeding up some tame 
creatures, that I might have food when my powder and 
shot was all spent. 

Dec. 28, 29, 30. Great heats and no breeze, so that 
there was no stirring abroad, except in the evening for 
food. This time I spent in putting all my things in order 
within doors. 

January 1. Very hot still, but I went abroad early and 
late with my gun, and lay still in the middle of the day. 
This evening, going farther into the valleys, which lay 
towards the centre of the island, I found there was plenty 
of goats, though exceeding shy and hard to come at ; 
however, I resolved to try if I could not bring my dog to 
hunt them down. 

Jan. 2. Accordingly, the next day I went out with 
my dog, and set him upon the goats ; but I was mistaken, 


74 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


for they all faced about upon the dog ; and he knew his 
danger too well, for he would not come near them. 

Jan. 3. I began my fence or wall ; which, being still 
jealous of my being attacked by somebody, I resolved to 
make very thick and strong. 

N. B. This wall being described before, I purposely 
omit what was said in the Journal. It is sufficient to 
observe, that I was no less time than from the 8d of 
January to the 14th of April, working, finishing, and per- 
fecting this wall, though it was no more than about twen- 
ty-four yards in length, being a half-circle from one place 
in the rock to another place about eight yards from it, — 
the door of the cave being in the centre behind it. 

All this time I worked very hard, the rains hindering me 
many days, nay, sometimes weeks together ; but I thought 
I should never be perfectly secure until this wall was fin- 
ished; and it is scarce credible what inexpressible labor 
everything was done with, especially the bringing piles 
out of the woods, and driving them into the ground, for 
I made them much bigger than I need to have done. 

When this wall was finished, and the outside double 
fence with a turf-wall raised up close to it, I pursuaded 
myself that if any people were to come on shore there, 
they would not perceive anything like a habitation ; and 
it was very well I did so, as may be observed hereafter 
upon a very remarkable occasion. 

During this time I made my rounds in the woods for 
game every day, when the rain permitted me, and made 
frequent discoveries in these walks of something or other 
to my advantage. Particularly I found a kind of wild 
pigeons, who built, not as wood pigeons, in a tree, but 
rather as house pigeons, in the holes of the rocks. Taking 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


75 


some young ones, I endeavored to breed them up tame, 
and did so ; but, when they grew older, they flew away, 
which, perhaps, was at first from want of feeding them, 
for I had nothing to give them. However, I frequently 
found their nests, and got their young ones, which were 
very good meat. 

And now, in managing my household affairs, I found 
myself wanting in many things, which I thought at first it 
was impossible for me to make, as indeed, as to some of 
them, it was ; for instance, I could never make a cask to 
be hooped. I had a small runlet or two, as I observed 
before, but I could never arrive to the capacity of making 
one by them, though I spent many weeks about it. I could 
neither put in the heads, or joint the staves so true to one 
another as to make them hold water, so I gave that also 
over. 

In the next place, I was at a great loss for candles ; so 
that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by 
seven o’clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I remembered 
the lump of bee’s-wax with which I made candles in my 
African adventure, but I had none of that now. The only 
remedy I had was, that when I killed a goat I saved the 
tallow, and with a little dish made of clay, which I baked 
in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum, I 
made me a lamp. This gave me light, though not a clear, 
steady light like a candle. In the middle of all my labors, 
it happened that, rummaging my things, I found a little 
bag, which, as I hinted before, had been filled with corn 
for the feeding of poultry, not for this voyage, but before, 
as I suppose, when the ship came from Lisbon. What 
little remainder of corn had been in the bag was all 
devoured by the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but 


76 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


husks and dust. Being willing to have the bag for some 
other use (I think it was to put powder in, when I divided 
it for fear of lightning, 'or some such use), I shook the 
husks of corn out of it on one side of my fortification 
under the rock. 

It was a little . before the great rains just now mentioned, 
that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice of anything, 
and not so much as remembering that I had thrown any- 
thing there. About a month after, or thereabouts, I saw 
some few stalks of something green shooting out of the 
ground, which I fancied might be some plant I had not 
seen ; but I was surprised and perfectly astonished, when, 
after a little longer time, I saw about ten or twelve ears 
come out, which were perfect green barley of the same 
kind as our European, nay, as our English barley. 

It is impossible to express the astonishment and confu- 
sion of my thoughts on this occasion.* I had hitherto 
acted upon no religious foundation at all ; indeed, I had 
very few notions of religion in my head, or had enter- 
tained any sense of anything that had befallen me, other- 
wise than as a chance, or, as we lightly say, what pleases 
God, without so much as inquiring into the end of Provi- 
dence in these things, or his order in governing events in 
the world ; but after I saw barley grow there in a climate 
which I knew was not proper for corn, and especially that 
I knew not how it came there, it startled me strangely ; 
and I began to suggest that God had miraculously caused 
this grain to grow without any help of seed sown, and 
that it was so directed purely for my sustenance on that 
wild, miserable place. 

This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of 
my eyes ; and I began to bless myself, that such a prodigy 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


77 


of nature should happen upon my account. This was the 
more strange to me, because I saw near it still, all along 
by the side of the rock, some other straggling stalks, which 
proved to be stalks of rice, and which I knew, because I 
had seen it grow in Africa, when I was ashore there. 

I not only thought these the pure productions of Provi- 
dence for my support, but not doubting but that there was 
more in the place, I went all over that part of the island, 
where I had been before, peeping in every corner and 
under every rock to see for more of it, but I could not find 
any. At last it occurred to my thought, that I had shook 
a bag of chicken’s meat out in that place, and then the 
wonder began to cease. And I must confess, my religious 
thankfulness to God’s providence began to abate too, upon 
discovering that all this was nothing but what was com- 
mon ; though I ought to have been as thankful for so 
strange and unforeseen a providence as if it had been mira- 
culous. F or it was really the work of Providence as to me, 
that should order or appoint ten or twelve grains of corn 
to remain unspoiled, when the rats had destroyed all the 
rest, as if it had been dropped from heaven ; as also, that 
I should throw it out in that particular place, where, it 
being in the shade of a high rock, it sprang up immedi- 
ately ; whereas, if I had thrown it anywhere else at that 
time, it had been burnt up and destroyed. 

I carefully saved the ears of this corn, you may be sure, 
in their season, which was about the end of June, and lay- 
ing up every corn, I resolved to sow them all again, hop- 
ing in time to have some quantity sufficient to supply me 
with bread. It was not till the fourth year that I could 
allow myself the least grain of this corn to eat, and even 
then but sparingly, as I shall say afterwards in its order. 


78 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


I lost all that I sowed the first season, by not observing 
the proper time ; for I sowed it just before the dry season, 
so that it never came up at all,' at least, not as it would 
have done : of which in its place. 

Besides the barley, there were, as above, twenty or thirty 
stalks of rice, which I preserved with the same care, and 
whose use was of the same kind or to the same purpose ; 
namely, to make me bread, or rather food ; for I found 
ways to cook it up without baking, though I did that also 
after some time. But to return to my Journal. 

I worked excessively hard these three or four months to 
get my wall done ; and the 14th of April I closed it up, 
contriving to go into it, not by a door, but over the wall 
by a ladder, that there might be no sign in the outside 
of my habitation. 


OF BOBINSON CBUSOE. 


79 


CHAPTER X. 

A PRIL 16. I finished the ladder, so I went up with the 
ladder to the top, and then pulled it up after me, and 
let it down on the inside. This was a complete inclosure 
to me; for within I had room enough, and nothing 
could come at me from without, unless it could first 
mount my wall. 

The very next day after this wall was finished, I had 
almost had all my labor overthrown at once, and myself 
killed. The case was thus. As I was busy in the inside 
of it, behind my tent, just in the entrance into my cave, 
I was terribly frightened with a most surprising thing; 
for, on a sudden, I found the earth come crumbling 
down from the roof of my cave, and from the edge 
of the hill, over my head, and two of the posts I had 
set up in the cave cracked in a frightful manner. I 
was heartily scared, but thought nothing of what was 
really the cause, only thinking that the top of my cave 
was falling in, as some of it had done before ; and, for fear 
I should be buried in it, I ran forward to my ladder. Not 
thinking myself safe there either, I got over my wall for 
fear of the pieces of the hill which I expected might roll 
down upon me. I was no sooner stepped down upon the 
firm ground, but I plainly saw it was a terrible earth- 
quake, for the ground I stood on shook three times at 
about eight minutes’ distance, with three such shocks as 
would have overturned the strongest building that could 


80 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


be supposed to have stood on the earth. A great piece 
of the top of a rock, which stood about half a mile from 
me, next the sea, fell down with such a terrible noise as I 
never heard in all my life. I perceived also the very sea 
was - put into violent motion by it ; and I believe the 
shocks were stronger under the water than on the island. 

I was so amazed with the thing itself, having never felt 
the like, or discoursed with any one that had, that I was 
like one dead or stupefied; and the motion of the earth 
made my stomach sick, like one that was tossed at sea. 
But the noise of the falling of the rock awaked me, as it 
were, and rousing me from the stupefied condition I was 
in, filled me with horror. I thought of nothing then 
but the hill falling upon my tent, and all my household 
goods, and burying all at once; and this sunk my very 
soul within me a second time. 

After the third shock was over, and I felt no more for 
some time, I began to take courage, and yet I had not 
heart enough to get over my wall again, for fear of being 
buried alive ; but sat still upon the ground, greatly cast 
down and disconsolate, not knowing what to do. All 
this while I had not the least serious religious thought, — 
nothing but the common, “ Lord, have mercy upon me ” ; 
and when it was over, that went away too. 

'While I sat thus, I found the air overcast, and grown 
cloudy, as if it would rain. Soon after that the wind rose 
by little and little, so that in less than half an hour it 
blew a most dreadful hurricane. The sea was all on a 
sudden covered over with foam and froth ; the shore was 
covered with the breach of the water ; the trees were torn 
up by the roots, and a terrible storm it was. This held 
about three hours, and then began to abate ; and in two 
hours more it was stark calm, and began to rain very hard. 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


81 


All this while I sat upon the ground very much terri- 
fied and dejected, when, on a sudden, it came into my 
thoughts, that these winds and rain being the consequences 
of the earthquake, the earthquake itself was spent and 
over, and I might venture into my cave again. With this 
thought my spirits began to revive, and the rain also 
helping to persuade me, I went in and sat down in my 
tent ; but the rain was so violent, that my tent was ready 
to be beaten down with it, and I was forced to go into my 
cave, though very much afraid and uneasy for fear it 
should fall on my head. 

This violent rain forced me to a new work, namely, to 
cut a hole through my new fortification like a sink to let 
water go out, which would else have drowned my cave. 
After I had been in my cave some time, and found still no 
more shocks of the earthquake follow, I began to be more 
composed. 

It continued raining all that night, and a great part of 
the next day, so that I could not stir abroad. But my mind 
being more composed, I began to think of what I had best 
do, concluding, that if the island was subject to these 
earthquakes, there would be no living for me in a cave, 
but I must consider of building me some little hut in an 
open place, which I might surround with a wall as I had 
done here, and so make myself secure from wild beasts or 
men. If I stayed where I was, I concluded, I should cer- 
tainly, one time or other, be buried alive. 

With these thoughts I resolved to remove my tent from 
the place where it stood, which was just under the hang- 
ing precipice of the hill, and which, if it should be shaken 
again, would certainly fall upon my tent. And I spenf 
the next two days, being the 19th and 20th of April, in 
contriving where and how to remove my habitation. 


82 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


The fear of being swallowed up alive, prevented me 
from sleeping in quiet; and yet the apprehension of lying 
abroad, without any fence, was almost equal to it. Still, 
when I looked about and saw how everything was put in 
order, how pleasantly concealed I was, and how safe from 
danger, it made me very loth to remove. 

In the meantime, it occurred to me that it would re- 
quire a vast deal of time for me to do this, and that I must 
be contented to run the venture where I was, till I had 
formed a camp for myself, and had secured it so as to re- 
move to it. With this resolution I composed myself for a 
time, and resolved that I would go to work with all speed 
to build me a wall with piles and cables, in a circle as be- 
fore, and set my tent up in it when it was finished ; but 
that I would venture to stay where I was till it was fin- 
ished and fit to remove to. This was the 21st. 

April 22. The next morning I began to consider of 
means to put this resolve in execution ; but I was at a 
great loss about my tools. I had three large axes and 
abundance of hatchets (for we carried the hatchets for 
traffic with the Indians), but with much chopping and 
cutting knotty hard wood, they were full of notches and 
dull; and, though I had a grindstone, I could not turn it 
and grind my tools too. This cost me as much thought 
as a statesman would have bestowed upon a grand point 
of politics, or a judge upon the life and death of a man. 
At length, I contrived a wheel with a string, to turn it with 
my foot, that I might have both my hands at liberty. I 
had never seen any such thing in England, or at least not 
to take notice how it was done, though since, I have ob- 
served, it is very common there ; besides that, my grind- 
stone was very large and heavy. This machine cost me a 
full week’s work to bring it to perfection. 


OF BOB INS ON CRUSOE. 


83 


April 28, 29. These two whole days I took up in grind- 
ing my tools, my machine for turning my grindstone per- 
forming very well. 

April 30. Having perceived my bread had been low a 
great while, now I took a survey of it, and reduced my- 
self to one biscuit cake a day, which made my heart very 
heavy. 

May 1. In the morning, looking towards the sea-side, 
the tide being low, I saw something lie on the shore big- 
ger than ordinary, and it looked like a cask. When I came 
to it, I found a small barrel, and two or three pieces of the 
wreck of the ship, which were driven on shore by the late 
hurricane. Looking towards the wreck itself, I thought 
it seemed to lie higher out of the water than it used to do. 
I examined the barrel which was driven on shore, and soon 
found it was a barrel of gunpowder ; but it had taken 
water, and the powder was caked as hard as a stone. 
However, I rolled it farther on shore for the present, and 
went on upon the sands as near as I could to the wreck of 
the ship, to look for more. 

When I came down to the ship, I found it strangely re- 
moved. The forecastle, which lay before buried in sand, 
was heaved up at least six feet ; and the stern, which was 
broken to pieces and parted from the rest by the force of 
the sea, soon after I had left rummaging her, was tossed 
up, as it w r ere, and cast on one side. The sand was thrown 
so high on that side next her stern, that, whereas there 
was a great place of water before, so that I could not 
come within a quarter of a mile of the wreck without 
swimming, I could now walk quite up to her when the 
tide was out. I was surprised with this at first, but soon 
concluded it must be done by the earthquake. As by this 


84 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


violence the ship was more broken open than formerly, so 
many things came daily on shore, which the sea had 
loosened, and which the winds and water rolled by de- 
grees to the land. 

This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design of 
removing my habitation. I busied myself mightily, that 
day especially, in searching whether I could make any 
way into the ship ; but I found nothing was to be ex- 
pected of that kind, for all the inside of the ship was 
choked up with sand. However, as I had learnt not to 
despair of anything, I resolved to pull everything to 
pieces that I could of the ship, concluding that every- 
thing I could get from her would be of some use or other 
.to me. 

May 8. I began with my saw, and cut a piece of a beam 
through, which I thought held some of the upper part or 
quarter-deck together. When I had cut it through, I 
cleared away the sand as well as I could from the side 
which lay highest ; but, the tide coming in, I was obliged 
to give over for that time. 

May 4. I went a fishing, but caught not one fish that I 
durst eat of, till I was weary of my sport; when, just 
going to leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I had made 
me a long line of some rope yarn, but I had no hooks, yet 
I frequently caught fish enough, as much as I cared to eat ; 
all which I dried in the sun, and ate them dry. 

May 5. Worked on the wreck. Cut another beam 
asunder, and brought three great fir planks off from the 
decks, which I tied together, and made swim on shore 
when the tide of flood came on. 

May 6. Worked on the wreck. Got several iron bolts 
out of her, and other pieces of iron-work. Worked very 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


85 


hard, and came home very much tired, and had thoughts 
of giving it over. 

May 7. Went to the wreck again, but with an intent 
not to work; but found the weight of the wreck had 
broke itself down, the beams being cut, that several pieces 
of the ship seemed to lie loose. The inside of the hold 
lay so open that I could see into it ; but it was almost full 
of water and sand. 

May 8. Went to the wreck, and carried an iron crow 
to wrench up the deck, which lay now quite clear of the 
water or sand. I wrenched open two planks, and brought 
them on shore also with the tide. I left the iron crow in 
the wreck for next day. 

May 9. W ent to the wreck, and with the crow made 
way into the body of the wreck, and felt several casks, 
and loosened them with the crow, but could not break 
them up. I felt, also, the roll of English lead, and could 
stir it ; but it was too heavy to remove. 

May 10, 11, 12, 18, 14. Went every day to the wreck, 
and got a great many pieces of timber, and boards or 
plank, and two or three hundred weight of iron. 

May 15. I carried two hatchets to try if I could not 
cut a piece off the roll of lead, by placing the edge of one 
hatchet, and driving it with the other ; but, as it lay about 
a foot and a half in the water, I could not make any blow 
to drive the hatchet. 

May 16. It had blowed hard in the night, and the 
wreck appeared more broken by the force of the water; 
but I staid so long in the woods to get pigeons for food, 
that the tide prevented me going to the wreck that day. 

May 17. I saw some pieces of the wreck blown on 
shore, at a great distance, nearly two miles off. I 


86 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


resolved to see what they were, and found it was a piece 
of the head, but too heavy for me to bring away. 

May 24. Every day to this day, I worked on the wreck, 
and with hard labor I loosened some things so much with 
the crow, that the first blowing tide several casks floated 
out, and two of the seamen’s chests. The wind blowing 
from the shore, nothing came to land that day but pieces 
of timber, and a hogshead, which had some Brazil pork in 
it ; but the salt water and sand had spoiled it. 

I continued this work every day to the 15th of June, 
except the time necessary to get food, which I always 
appointed, during this part of my employment, to be when 
the tide was up, that I might be ready when it was ebbed 
out. By this time I had gotten timber, and plank, and 
iron-work enough to have built a good boat, if I had 
known how. I also got, at several times, and in several 
pieces, near a hundred weight of the sheet lead. 

June 16. Going down to the sea-side, I found a large 
tortoise or turtle. This was the first I had seen, which, 
it seems, was only my misfortune, not any defect of the 
place, or scarcity ; for, had I happened to be on the other 
side of the island, I might have had hundreds of them 
every day, as I found afterwards ; but, perhaps, had paid 
dear enough for them. 

June 17. I spent in cooking the turtle. I found in her 
threescore eggs; and her flesh was to me, at that time, 
the most savory and pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, 
having had no flesh, but of goats and fowls, since I landed 
in this horrid place. 

June 18. Rained all day, and I stayed within. I 
thought at this time the rain felt cold, and I was some- 
thing chilly, which I knew was not usual in that latitude. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


87 


June 19. Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had 
been cold. 

June 20. No rest all night, violent pains in my head, 
and feverish. 

June 21. Very ill, frightened almost to death with the 
apprehensions of my sad condition, to be sick, and no help. 
Prayed to God for the first time since the storm off Hull, 
but scarce knew what I said, or why, my thoughts being 
all confused. 

June 22. A little better, but under dreadful apprehen- 
sions of sickness. 

June 23. Very bad again, cold and shivering, and then 
a violent headache. 

June 24. Much better. 

June 25. An ague, very violent. The fit held me 
seven hours, cold fit and hot, with faint sweats after it. 

June 26. Better ; and having no victuals to eat, took 
my gun, but found myself very weak. However, I killed 
a she-goat, and with much difficulty got it home, and 
broiled some of it, and ate. I would fain have stewed it, 
and made some broth, but had no pot. 

June 27. The ague again so violent, that I lay abed all 
day, and neither ate nor drank. I was ready to perish for 
thirst, but so weak I had not strength to stand up, or to 
get myself any water to drink. Prayed to God again, but 
was light-headed ; and, when I was not, I was so ignorant 
that I knew not what to say ; only I lay and cried, “ Lord, 
look upon me ; Lord, pity me ; Lord, have mercy upon 
me.” I suppose I did nothing else for two or three hours, 
till, the fit wearing off, I fell asleep, and did not wake till 
far in the night. When I waked I found myself much 
refreshed, but weak and exceedingly thirsty. However, as 


88 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


I had no water in my whole habitation, I was forced to lie 
till morning, and went to sleep again. In this second 
sleep I had this terrible dream. 

I thought that I was sitting on the ground on the out- 
side of my wall, where I sat when the storm blew after the 
earthquake, and that I saw a man descend from a great, 
black cloud, in admiglit flame of fire, and alight upon the 
ground. He was all over as bright as a flame, so that I 
could but just bear to look towards him. His counte- 
nance was most inexpressibly dreadful, impossible for words 
to describe. When he stepped upon the ground with his 
feet, I thought the earth trembled, just as it had done 
before in the earthquake, and all the air looked to my 
apprehension as if it had been filled with flashes of fire. 

He was no sooner landed upon the earth, but he moved 
forward toward me, with a long spear or weapon in his 
hand, to kill me. When he came to a rising ground, at 
some distance, he spoke to me, or I heard a voice ,so terri- 
ble that it is impossible to express the terror of it. All 
that I can say I understood was this, “ Seeing all these 
things have not brought thee to repentance, now thou 
shalt die ” ; at which words I thought he lifted up the 
spear that was in his hand to kill me. 

No one that shall ever read this account, will expect 
that I should be able to describe the horrors of my soul at 
this terrible vision. I mean, that even while it was a 
dream, I even dreamed of those horrors. Nor is it any 
more possible to describe the impression that remained 
upon my mind, when I awaked, and found it was but a 
dream. 

June 28. Having been somewhat refreshed with the 
sleep I had had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up ; • 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


89 


and though, the fright and terror of my dream was very 
great, yet I considered that the fit of the ague would 
return again next day, and now was my time to get some- 
thing to refresh and support myself when I should be ill. 
The first thing I did, I filled a large square case-bottle 
with water, and set it upon my table, in reach of my bed. 
Then I got me a piece of the goat’s flesh and broiled it on 
the coals, but could eat very little. I walked about, but 
was very weak, and, withal, very sad and heavy-hearted 
under a sense of my miserable condition, dreading the 
return of my distemper the next day. At night I made my 
supper of three of the turtle’s eggs, which I roasted in the 
ashes, and ate, as we call it, in the shell. This was the 
first bit of meat I had ever asked God’s blessing on, even, 
as I could remember, in my whole life. 

After I had eaten, I tried to walk ; but found myself 
so weak that I could hardly carry the gun (for I never 
went out without that). So I went but a little way, and 
sat down upon the ground, looking out upon the sea, 
which was just before me, very calm and smooth. 

I rose up pensive and sad, walked back to my retreat, 
and went up over my wall, as if I had been going to bed. 
But my thoughts were sadly disturbed, and I had no incli- 
nation to sleep ; so I sat down in my chair, and lighted 
my lamp, for it began to be dark. Now, as the apprehen- 
sion of the return of my distemper terrified me very much, 
it occurred to my thought, that the Brazilians take no 
physic but their tobacco for almost all distempers ; and I 
had a piece of a roll of tobacco in one of the chests, which 
was quite cured, and some also that was green, and not 
quite cured. • 

I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt ; for in this chest 


90 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


I found a cure both for soul and body. I opened the 
chest, and found what I looked for, namely, the tobacco ; 
and, as the few books I had saved lay there too, I took out 
one of the Bibles which I mentioned before, and which 
to this time I had not found leisure, or so much as incli- 
nation, to look into. I say I took it out, and brought 
both that and the tobacco with me to the table. 

What use to make of the tobacco I knew not, as to my 
distemper, or whether it was good for it or no ; but I tried 
several experiments with it, as if I resolved it should hit 
one way or other : I first took a piece of a leaf, and 
chewed it in my mouth, which, indeed, at first, almost 
stupefied my brain, the tobacco being green and strong, 
and I had not been used to it. Then I took some, and 
steeped it an hour or two in some rum, and resolved to 
take a dose of it when I lay down ; and lastly, I burnt 
some upon a pan of coals, and held my nose close over 
the smoke of it, as long as I could bear it, and I held 
almost to suffocation. 

In the interval of this operation, I took up the Bible, 
and began to read ; but my head was too much disturbed 
with the tobacco to bear reading, at least at that time. 
Only having opened the book casually, the first words 
that occurred to me were these : “ Call on me in the day 
of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify 
me.” 

The words were very apt to my case, and made some 
impression upon my thoughts at the time of reading them, 
though not so much as they did afterwards ; for, as fo»r 
being delivered, the word had no sound, as I may say, to 
me. The thing was so remote, so impossible, in my appre- 
hension of things, that I began to say, as the children of 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


91 


Israel did when they were promised flesh to eat, “Can 
God spread a table in the wilderness ? ” so I began to say, 
“ Can God himself deliver me from this place ? ” And as 
it Was not for many years that any hope appeared, this 
prevailed very often upon my thoughts. However, the 
words made a very great impression upon me, and I 
mused upon them very often. It grew, now, late, and 
the tobacco had, as I said, dosed my head so much, that 
I inclined to sleep. So I left my lamp burning in the 
cave, lest I should want anything in the night, and went 
to bed. But, before I lay down, I did what I never had 
done in all my life ; I kneeled down and prayed to God 
to fulfil the promise to me, that if I called upon him in 
the day of trouble, he would deliver me. After my 
broken and imperfect prayer was over, I drank the rum 
in which I had steeped the tobacco, which was so strong 
and rank of the tobacco, that, indeed, I could scarce get 
it down. Immediately upon this I went to bed, and I 
found, presently, it flew up into my head violently ; but I 
fell into a sound sleep, and waked no more, till noon the 
next day. Nay, to this hour, I am partly of the opinion 
that I slept all the next day and night, and till almost 
three the day after ; for, otherwise, I know not how I 
should lose a day out of my reckoning in the days of the 
week, as it appeared some years after I had done. If I 
had lost it by crossing and recrossing the line, I should 
have lost more than one day. But certainly I lost a day 
in my account and never knew which way. 

Be that, however, one way or other, when I waked I 
found myself exceedingly refreshed, and my spirits lively 
and cheerful. When I got up, I was stronger than I was 
the day before, and my stomach better, for I was hungry. 


92 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


I had no fit the next day, but continued much altered for 
the better. This was the 29th. 

The 30th was my well day, of course ; and I went 
abroad with my gun, but did not care to travel too far. 
I killed a sea-fowl or two, something like a brand goose, 
and brought them home, but was not very forward to eat 
them ; so I ate some more of the turtle’s eggs, which were 
very good. This evening I renewed the medicine which 
I had supposed did me good the day before, namely, the 
tobacco steeped in rum ; only I did not take so much as 
before, nor did I chew any of the leaf, or hold my head 
over the smoke. However, I was not so well the next 
day, which was the first of July, as I hoped I should have 
been ; for I had a little spice of the cold fit, but it was 
not much. 

July 2. I renewed the medicine all the three ways, 
and dosed myself with it at first, and doubled the quan- 
tity which I drank. 

July 3. I missed the fit for good and all, though I did 
not recover my full strength for some weeks after. While 
I was thus gathering strength, my thoughts ran exceed- 
ingly upon the scripture, “ I will deliver thee ” ; and the 
impossibility of my deliverance lay much upon my mind, 
in bar of my ever expecting it. But, as I was discour- 
aging myself with such thoughts, it occurred to my mind 
that I pored so much on my deliverance from the main af- 
fliction, that I disregarded the deliverance I had received; 
and I was, as it were, made to ask myself such questions 
as these ; namely, “ Have I not been delivered, and won- 
derfully, too, from sickness? from the most distressed con- 
dition that could be, and that was so frightful to me ? 
And what notice had I taken of it? Had I done my 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


93 


part ? 4 God had delivered me ; but I had not glorified 

him : ’ that is to say, I had not owned and been thankful 
for that as a deliverance ; and how could I expect greater 
deliverance ? ” 

This touched my heart very much ; and immediately I 
kneeled down and gave God thanks aloud for my recovery 
from my sickness. 

July 4. In the morning I took the ‘Bible, and, begin- 
ning at the New Testament, I began seriously to read it, 
and imposed upon myself to read awhile every morning 
and every night, not tying myself to the number of chap- 
ters, but as long as my thoughts should engage me. It 
was not long after I set seriously to this work, but I found 
my heart more deeply and sincerely affected with the 
wickedness of my past life. 

Now I began to construe the words mentioned above, 
44 Call on me, and I will deliver thee,” in a different sense 
from what I had ever done before ; for then I had no no- 
tion of anything being called deliverance, but my being 
delivered from the captivity I was in. For, though I was 
indeed at large in the place, yet the island was certainly 
a prison to me, and that in the worst sense in the world ; 
but now I learned to take it in another sense. Now I 
looked back upon my past life with such horror, and my 
sins appeared so dreadful, that my soul sought nothing of 
God but deliverance from the load of guilt that bore down 
all my comfort. As for my solitary life, it was nothing ; 
I did not so much as pray to be delivered from it, or think 
of it ; it was all of no consideration in comparison of this. 
And I add this part here, to hint to whoever shall read it, 
that whenever they come to a true sense of things, they 
will find deliverance from sin a much greater blessing than 
deliverance from affliction. 


94 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


But, leaving this part, I return to my Journal : — 

My condition began now to be, though not less miser- 
able as to my way of living, yet much easier to my mind. 
My thoughts being directed, by a constant reading of the 
scripture, and praying to God, to things of a higher nature, 
I had a great deal of comfort within, which till now I knew 
nothing of. Also, as my health and strength returned, I 
bestirred myself to furnish myself with everything that I 
wanted, and to make my way of living as regular as I could. 

From the 4th of July to the 34th, I was chiefly employed 
in walking about with a gun in .my hand, a little and a lit- 
tle at a time, as a man hjiat was gathering up his strength 
after a fit of sickness ; for it is hardly to be imagined how 
low I was, and to what weakness I was reduced. The ap- 
plication which I made use of was perfectly new, and per- 
haps what had never cured an ague before. Nor can I 
recommend it to any one. Though it did carry off the fit, 
yet it rather contributed to weaken me ; for I had fre- 
quent convulsions in my nerves and limbs for some time. 

I learnt from it also this, in particular : that being abroad 
in the rainy season was the most pernicious thing to my 
health that could be, especially in those rains which came 
attended with storms and hurricanes of wind. For, as the 
rain which came in the dry season was always most ac- 
companied with such storms, so I found this rain was much 
more dangerous than the rain which fell in September and 
October. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 


95 


CHAPTER XI. 

I HAD been now on this unhappy island above ten 
months. All possibility of deliverance from this con- 
dition seemed to be entirely taken from me ; and I firmly 
believed that no human shape had ever set foot upon that 
place. Having now secured my habitation, as I thought, 
fully to my mind, I had a great desire to make a more per- 
fect discovery of the island, and to see what other pro- 
ductions I might find, which I yet knew nothing of. 

It was on the 15th of July that I began to take a more 
particular survey of the island itself. I went up the creek 
first, where, as I hinted, I brought my rafts on shore. I 
found, after I came about two miles up, that the tide did 
not flow any higher, and that it was no more than a little 
brook of running water, and very fresh and good ; but this 
being the dry season, there was hardly any water in some 
parts of it ; at least, not enough to run in any stream, so as 
it could be perceived. 

On the banks of this brook I found many pleasant 
savannas or meadows, plain, smooth, and covered with 
grass. On the rising parts of them, next to the higher 
grounds, where the water, as it might be supposed, never 
overflowed, I found a great deal of tobacco, green, and 
growing to a great and very strong stalk. There were 
divers other plants which I had no notion of or under- 
standing about ; and might, perhaps, have virtues of their 
own which I could not find out. 


96 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


I searched for the cassava root, which the Indians in all 
that climate make their bread of, but I could find none. I 
saw large plants of aloes, but did not then understand 
them. I saw several sugar-canes, but wild, and, for want 
of cultivation, imperfect. I contented myself with these 
discoveries for this time, and came back musing with my- 
self what course I might take to know the virtue and 
goodness of any of the fruits or plants which I should 
discover, but could bring it to no conclusion ; for, in short, 
I had made so little observation while I was in the Brazils, 
that I knew little of the plants of the field ; at least, very 
little that might serve me to any purpose now in my 
distress. 

The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again. 
After going something farther than I had done the day 
before, I found the brook and the savannas began to cease, 
and the country became more woody than before. In this 
part I found different fruits, and particularly I found 
melons upon the ground in great abundance, and grapes 
upon the trees. The vines had spread, indeed, over the 
trees, and the clusters of grapes were just now in their 
prime, very ripe and rich. This was a surprising dis- 
covery, and I was exceedingly glad of them; but I was 
warned by my experience to eat sparingly of them, remem- 
bering that, when I was ashore in Barbary, the eating of 
grapes killed several of our Englishmen, who were slaves 
there, by throwing them into fluxes and fevers. But I 
found an excellent use for these grapes, and that was to cure 
or dry them in the sun and keep them as dried grapes or 
raisins are kept, which I thought would be, as indeed 
they were, as wholesome and as agreeable to eat, when no 
grapes might be had. 


OF BOBINSON CBTJSOE. 


97 


I spent all that evening there, and went not back to my 
habitation, which, by the wa}^, was the first night, as I 
might say, I had lain from home. In the night I took my 
first contrivance, and got up into a tree, where I slept 
well. The next morning, I proceeded upon my discovery, 
travelling near four miles, as I might judge by the length 
of the valley, keeping still due north, with a ridge of hills 
on the south and north side of me. 

At the end of this march I came to an opening, where 
the country seemed to descend to the west. A little 
spring of fresh water, which issued out of the side of the 
hill by me, ran the other way; that is, due east. The 
country appeared so fresh, so green, so flourishing, every- 
thing being in a constant verdure, or flourishing of spring, 
that it looked like a planted garden. 

I descended a little on the side of that delicious valley, 
surveying it with a secret kind of pleasure, (though mixed 
with other afflicting thoughts), to think that this was all 
my own ; that I was king and lord of all this country inde- 
feasibly, and had a right of possession. If I could convey 
it, I might have it in inheritance as completely as any lord 
of a manor in England. I saw here abundance of cocoa- 
trees, orange and lemon, and citron-trees, but all wild, and 
few bearing any fruit ; at least, not then. However, the 
green limes that I gathered were not only pleasant to eat, 
but very wholesome. I mixed their juice afterwards with 
water, which made it very wholesome, and very cool and 
refreshing. 

I found now I had business enough to gather and carry 
home ; and resolved to lay up a store, as well of grapes as 
limes and lemons, to furnish myself for the wet season, 
which I knew was approaching. 


98 


LIFE AND AD VENTUBES 


In order to do this I gathered a heap of grapes in one 
place, and a lesser heap in another place, and a great 
parcel of limes and lemons in another place. Taking a 
few of each with me, I travelled homeward, and resolved 
to come again and bring a bag or sack, or what I could 
make, to carry the rest home. 

Accordingly, having spent three days in this journey, I 
came home (so I must now call my tent and my cave) ; 
but before I got thither the grapes were spoiled. The 
richness of the fruit and the weight of the juice having 
broken them and bruised them, they were good for little 
or nothing. As to the limes, they were good, but I could 
bring but a few. 

The next day, being the 19th, I went back, having 
made me two small bags to bring home my harvest. But 
I was surprised when, coming to my heap of grapes, which 
were so rich and fine when I gathered them, I found them 
all spread abroad, trod to pieces, and dragged about, some 
here, some there, and abundance eaten and devoured. 
By this, I concluded there were some wild creatures there- 
abouts which had done this ; but what they were I knew 
not. 

However, as I found there was no laying them up on 
heaps, and no carrying them away in a sack, but that one 
way they would be destroyed, and the other way they 
would be crushed with their own weight, I took another 
course. I gathered a large quantity of the grapes, and 
hung them upon the out branches of the trees, that they 
might cure and dry in the sun. As for the limes and 
lemons, I carried as many back as I could well stand 
under. 

When I came home from this journey, I contemplated 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


99 


with great pleasure on the fruitfulness of that valley, and 
the pleasantness of the situation ; the security from storms 
on that side of the water, and the wood ; and concluded 
that I had pitched upon a place to fix my abode which 
was, by far, the worst part of the country. Upon the 
whole, I began to consider of removing my habitation, and 
to look out for a place, equally safe as where I now was 
situated, if possible, in that pleasant and fruitful part of 
the island. 

This thought ran long in my head, and I was exceeding 
fond of it for some time, the pleasantness of the place 
tempting me. But when I came to a nearer view of it, I 
considered that I was now by the sea-side, where it was at 
least possible that something might happen to my advan- 
tage, and that the same ill fate that brought me hither 
might bring some other unhappy wretches to the same 
place ; though it was scarce probable that any such thing 
should ever happen ; yet, to enclose myself among the hills 
and woods, in the centre of the island, was to anticipate 
my bondage, and to render such an affair not only improb- 
able but impossible. Therefore I concluded I ought not 
by any means to remove. 

However, I was so enamored of this place, that I spent 
much of my time there for the whole remaining part of 
the month of July. Though, upon second thoughts, I 
resolved as above not to remove, yet I built me a little 
kind of a bower, and surrounded it at a distance with a 
strong fence, being a double hedge, as high as I could 
reach, well staked and filled between with brushwood. Here 
I lay very secure, sometimes two or three nights together, 
always going over it with a ladder, as before ; so that I 
fancied now I had my country house and my sea-coast 
house. This work took me up to the beginning of August. 


100 


LIFE AND ADVENT UBE 8 


I had but newly finished my fence, and began to enjoy 
my labor, when the rains came on, and made me stick 
close to my first habitation ; for, though I had made me a 
tent like the other, with a piece of a sail, and spread it very 
well, yet I had not the shelter of a hill to keep me from 
storms, nor a cave behind me to retreat into when the 
rains were extraordinary. 

About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished 
my bower, and began to enjoy myself. The 3d of August 
I found the grapes I had hung up were perfectly dried, 
and indeed were excellent good raisins of the sun. So I 
began to take them down from the trees, and it was very 
happy that I did so. For the rains which followed would 
have spoiled them, and I had lost the best part of my 
winter food ; for I had above two hundred large bunches 
of them. 

No sooner had I taken them all down, and carried most 
of them home to my cave, but it began to rain ; and, from 
thence, which was the 14th of August, it rained more or 
less every day, till the middle of October ; and sometimes 
so violently, that I could not stir out of my cave for 
several days. 

From the 14th of August to the 26th, incessant rain, so 
that I could not stir, and was now very careful not to be 
much wet. In this confinement I began to be straitened 
for food ; but, venturing out twice, I one day killed a goat. 
The last day, which was the 26th, I found a very large 
tortoise, which was a treat to me. My food was regulated 
thus : I ate a bunch of raisins for my breakfast, a piece 
of the goat’s flesh, or of the turtle, for my dinner, broiled 
(for to my great misfortune I had no vessel to boil or stew 
anything), and two or three of the turtle’s eggs for supper. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


101 


During this confinement in my coyer, by the rain, I 
worked daily two or three hours at enlarging my cave. 
By degrees I worked it on towards one side, till I came 
to the outside of the hill, and made a door or way out, 
which caijie beyond my fence or wall. So I came in and 
out this way. But I was not perfectly easy at lying so 
open ; for, as I had managed myself before, I was in a per- 
fect enclosure, whereas now I thought I was exposed ; and 
yet I could not perceive that there was any living thing to 
fear, the biggest creature that I had seen upon the island 
being a goat. 

September 30. I was now come to the unhappy anniver- 
sary of iny landing. I cast up the notches on my post, 
and found I had been on shore three hundred and sixty- 
five days. I kept this day as a solemn fast, setting it apart 
to a religious exercise, prostrating myself on the ground 
with the most serious humiliation, confessing my sins to 
God, acknowledging his righteous judgments upon me, 
and praying to him to have mercy on me, through Jesus 
Christ; and having not tasted the least refreshment for 
twelve hours, even to the going down of the sun, I then 
ate a biscuit cake, and a bunch of grapes, and went to bed, 
finishing the day as I began it. 

I had all this time observed no Sabbath-day ; for, as at 
first, I had no sense of religion upon my mind, I had after 
some time omitted to distinguish the weeks, by making a 
longer notch than ordinary for the Sabbath-day, and so did 
not really know what any of the days were. But now, hav- 
ing cast up the days as above, I found I had been there a 
year. So I divided it into weeks, and set apart every 
seventh day for a Sabbath ; though I found at the end of 
my account I had lost a day or two in my reckoning. 


102 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


A little after this my ink began to fail me, and so I con- 
tented myself to use it more sparingly, and to write down 
only the most remarkable events of my life, without con- 
tinuing a daily memorandum of other things. 

The rainy season, and the dry season, began now to ap- 
pear regular to me, and I learned to divide them so as to 
provide for them accordingly. But I bought all my exper- 
ience before I had it ; and this I am going to relate, was 
one of the. most discouraging experiments that I made 
at all. I have mentioned that I had saved the few ears of 
barley and rice which I had so surprisingly found spring 
up, as I thought, of themselves, and believe there were 
about thirty stalks of rice, and about twenty of barley ; 
and now I thought it a proper time to sow it after the 
rains, the sun being in its southern position going from 
me. 

Accordingly I dug up a piece of ground, as well as I 
could, with my wooden spade, and dividing it into two 
parts, I sowed my grain. But, as I was sowing, it casually 
occurred to my thought, that I would not sow it all at first, 
because I did not know when was the proper time for it ; 
so I sowed about two-thirds of the seeds, leaving about a 
handful of each. It was a great comfort to me afterwards 
that I did so, for not one grain of that I sowed this time 
came to anything ; for, the dry months following, the earth 
having had no rain after the seed was sown, it had no 
moisture to assist its growth, and never came up at all, till 
the wet season had come again, and then it grew as if it 
had been newly sown. 

Finding my first seed did not grow, which I easily imag- 
ined was by the drought, I sought for a moister piece of 
ground to make another trial in ; and I dug up a piece of 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


103 


ground near my new bower, and sowed the rest of my 
seed in February, a little before the vernal equinox. This, 
having the rainy months of March and April to water it, 
sprung up very pleasantly, and yielded a very good crop ; 
but having part of the seed left only, and not daring to 
sow all that I had yet, I had but a small quantity at last, 
my whole crop not amounting to above half a peck of each 
kind. 

But by this experience I was made master of my busi- 
ness, and knew exactly when the proper season was to 
sow ; and that I might expect two seed-times and two 
harvests every year. 

While this corn was growing, I made a little discovery, 
which was of use to me afterwards. As soon as the rains 
were over, and the weather began to settle, which was 
about the month of November, I made a visit up the coun- 
try to my bower, where, though I had not been some 
months, yet I found all things just as I left them. The 
circle or double hedge that I had made was not only firm 
and entire, but the stakes which I had cut off of some 
trees that grew thereabouts were all shot out, and grown 
with long branches, as much as a willow-tree usually shoots 
the first year after lopping its head. I could not tell what 
tree to call it that these stakes were cut from. I was sur- 
prised, and yet very well pleased, to see the young trees 
grow. I pruned them, and led them to grow as much alike as 
I could, and it is scarce credible how beautiful a figure they 
grew into in three years ; so that, though the hedge made 
a circle of about twenty-five yards in diameter, yet the 
trees, for such I might now call them, soon covered it. It 
made a complete shade, sufficient to lodge under all the 
dry season. 


104 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make 
me a hedge like this in a semicircle round my wall; I mean 
that of my first dwelling, which I did. Placing the trees 
or stakes in a double row, at about eight }^ards’ distance 
from my first fence, they grew presently, and were at first 
a fine cover to my habitation, and afterwards served for a 
defence also, as I shall observe in its order. 

I found now, that the seasons of the year might gener- 
ally be divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, 
but into the rainy seasons and the dry seasons, which were 
generally thus : 

Half February, March, half April — Rainy, the sun being 
then on or near the equinox. 

Half April, May, June, July, half August — Dry, the sun 
being then to the north of the line. 

Half August, September, half October — Rainy, the sun 
then being come back. 

Half October, ^November, December, January, half Feb- 
ruary — Dry, the sun being then to the south of the line. 

The rainy season sometimes held longer or shorter, as 
the winds happened to blow ; but this was the general ob- 
servation I made. After I had found, by experience, the 
ill consequences of being abroad in the rain, I took care 
to furnish myself with provisions beforehand, that I might 
not be obliged to go out ; and I sat within doors as much 
as possible during the wet months. 

In this time I found much employment (and very suita- 
ble also to the time), for I found great occasion for many 
things which I had no way to furnish myself with, but by 
hard labor and constant application. Particularly, I tried 
many ways to make myself a basket ; but all the twigs I 
could get for the purpose proved so brittle that they would 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


105 


do nothing. It proved of excellent advantage to me now, 
that when I was a boy, I used to take great delight in 
standing at a basket-maker’s in the town where my father 
lived, to see them make their wicker ware. Being, as 
boys usually are, very officious to help, and a great ob- 
server of the manner how they worked those things, and 
sometimes lending a hand, I had by this means so full 
knowledge of the methods of it, that I wanted nothing 
but the materials ; when it came into my mind, that the 
twigs of that tree, from whence I cut my stakes that grew, 
might possibly be as tough as the sallows and willows and 
osiers in England, and I resolved to try. 

Accordingly, the next day I went to my country house, 
as I called it, and cutting some of the smaller twigs, I 
found them to my purpose as much as I could desire ; 
whereupon I came the next time prepared with a hatchet 
to cut down a quantity, which I soon found, for there was 
a great plenty of them. These I set up to dry within my 
circle or hedges. When they were fit for use, I carried 
them to my cave. Here, during the next season, I em- 
ployed myself in making (as well as I could) a great many 
baskets, both to carry earth, or to carry or lay up any- 
thing, as I had occasion. Though I did not finish them 
very handsomely, yet I made them sufficiently serviceable 
for my purpose; and thus afterwards I took care never to be 
without them. As my wicker ware decayed, I made more ; 
especially I made strong, deep baskets to place my corn in, 
instead of sacks, when I should come to have any quantity 
of it. 

Having mastered this difficulty, and employed a world 
of time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if possible, how 
to supply two wants. I had no vessels to hold- anything 


106 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


that was liquid, except two runlets, which were almost 
full of rum, and some glass bottles, some of the common 
size, and others, which were case-bottles, square, for the 
holding of waters, spirits, etc. I had not so much as a pot 
to boil anything in, except a great kettle which I saved 
out of the ship, and which was too big for such uses as I 
desired for it, namely, to make broth, and stew a bit of 
of meat by itself. The second thing I would fain have 
had, was a tobacco-pipe ; but it was impossible for me to 
make one; however, I found a contrivance for that, too, 
at last. 

I employed myself in planting my second row of stakes 
or piles, and in this wicker work, all the summer or dry 
season ; when another business took me up more time than 
it could be imagined I could spare. 

I mentioned before, that I had a great mind to see the 
whole island, and that I had travelled up the brook, and 
so on to where I built my bower, and where I had an 
opening quite to the sea on the other side of the island. 
I now resolved to travel quite across to the sea-shore on 
that side ; so, taking my gun, and hatchet, and my dog, 
and a larger quantity of powder and shot than usual, with 
two biscuit cakes, and a great bunch of raisins in my 
pouch, for my store, I began my journey. When I had 
passed the vale where my bower stood, as above, I came 
within view of the sea, to the west ; and, it being a very 
clear day, I fairij descried land, whether an island or con- 
tinent I could not tell; but it lay very high, extending 
from the west to the W. S. W. at a very great distance ; 
by my guess it could not be less than fifteen or twenty 
leagues off. 

I could not tell what part of the world this might be, 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


10T 


otherwise than that I knew it must be part of America ; 
and, as I concluded by all my observations, must be near 
the Spanish dominions, and perhaps was all inhabited by 
savages, where, if I should have landed, I had been in a 
worse condition than I was now. Therefore I acquiesced 
in the dispositions of Providence, which I began now to 
own, and to believe, ordered everything for the best. I 
say, I quieted my mind with this, and left afflicting myself 
with fruitless wishes of being there. 

Besides, after some pause upon this affair, I considered, 
that if this land was the Spanish coast, I should certainly, 
one time or other, see some vessel pass or repass one way 
or other ; but, if not, then it was the savage coast between 
the Spanish country and Brazil, which is inhabited by the 
worst of savages ; for they are cannibals, or men-eaters, 
and fail not to murder and devour all the human bodies 
that fall into their hands. 

With these considerations, I walked very leisurely for- 
ward. I found that side of the island, where I now was, 
much pleasanter than mine, the open or savanna fields 
sweet, adorned with flowers and grass, and full of very fine 
woods. I saw abundance of parrots, and fain would I 
have caught one, if possible, to have kept it to be tame, 
and taught it to speak to me. I did, after some pains 
taken, catch a young parrot, for I knocked it down with a 
stick, and, having recovered it, I brought it home ; but it 
was some years before I could make him speak. However, 
at last, I taught him to call me by my name, very famil- 
iarly. 

I was exceedingly diverted with this journey. I found 
in the low grounds, hares, as I thought them to be, and 
foxes, but they differed greatly from all other kinds I 


108 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


had met with ; nor could I satisfy myself to eat them, 
though I killed several. But I had no need to be ventur- 
ous, for I had no want of food, and of that which was very 
good too : especially these three sorts, goats, pigeons, and 
turtle or tortoise; which, added to my grapes, Leaden- 
hall Market 1 could not have furnished a better table than 
I, in proportion to the company. Though my case was 
deplorable enough, yet I had great cause for thankfulness, 
that I was not driven to any extremities for food, but 
rather plenty, even to dainties. 

I never travelled in this journey above two miles out- 
right in a day, or thereabouts ; but I took so many turns 
and returns, to see what discoveries I could make, that I 
came weary enough to the place where I resolved to_ sit 
down for all night. Then I either reposed myself in a 
tree, or surrounded myself with a row of stakes set upright 
in the ground, either from one tree or another, or so as 
no wild creature could come at me without waking me. 

As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I was surprised to 
see that I had taken up my lot on the worst side of the 
island ; for here indeed the shore was covered with innu- 
merable turtles, whereas on the other side I had found but 
three in a year and a half. Here was also an infinite num- 
ber of fowls of many kinds, some of which I had not seen 
before, and many of them very good meat ; but such as I 
knew not the names of, except those called penguins. 

I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very 
sparing of my powder and shot ; and therefore had more 
mind to kill a she-goat, if I could, which I could better 
feed on. Though there were many more goats here than 
on the other side of the island, yet it was with much more 
1 The name of a market in London. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


109 


difficulty that I could come near them, the country being 
flat and even, so that they saw me much sooner than when 
I was on the hills. 

I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter 
than mine, but yet I had not the least inclination to 
remove ; for, as I was fixed in my habitation, it became nat- 
ural to me. I seemed, all the while I was here, to be, as 
it were, upon a journey, and from home. However, I trav- 
elled along the shore of the sea toward the east, I suppose 
about twelve miles. Then, setting up a great pole upon the 
shore for a mark, I concluded I would go home again, and 
the next journey I took should be on the other side of the 
island, east from my dwelling, and so round, till I came to 
my post again, of which in its place. 

I took another way to come back than that I went, think- 
ing I could easily keep all the island so much in my view, 
that I could not miss finding my first dwelling by viewing 
the country ; but I found myself mistaken. For, being 
come about two or three miles, I found myself descended 
into a very large valley, but so surrounded with hills, and 
those hills covered with woods, that I could not see which 
was my way by any direction but that of the sun; nor 
even then, unless I knew very well the position of the sun 
at that time of the day. 

It happened, to my farther misfortune, that the weather 
proved hazy for three or four days while I was in this 
valley. Not being able to see the sun, I wandered about 
very uncomfortably, and at last was obliged to find out 
the sea-side, look for my post, and come back the same 
way I went. Then, by easy journeys, I turned homeward, 
the weather being exceedingly hot, and my gun, ammuni- 
tion, hatchet, and other things very heavy, 


110 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


In this journey my dog surprised a young kid, and 
seized upon it ; and I, running to take hold of it, caught 
it, and saved it alive from the dog. I had a great mind 
to bring it home, if I could ; for I had often been musing 
whether it might not be possible to get a kid or two, and 
so raise a breed of tame goats, which might supply me 
when my powder and shot should be spent. 

I made a collar for this little creature ; and, with a string 
which I made of some rope-yarn, which I always carried 
about me, I led him along, though with some difficulty, 
till I came to my bower, and there I enclosed him and 
left him ; for I was very impatient to be at home, from 
whence I had been absent above a month. 

I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to 
come into my old hutch, and lie down in my hammock- 
bed. This little wandering journey, without a settled 
place of abode, had been so unpleasant to me, that my own 
house, as I called it to myself, was a perfect settlement to 
me, compared to that ; and it rendered everything about 
me so comfortable, that I resolved that I would never go 
a great way from it again, while it should be my lot to 
stay on the island. 

I reposed myself here a week to rest and regale myself 
after my long journey ; during which, most of the time 
was taken up in the. weighty affair of making a cage for 
my Poll, who began now to be a mere domestic, and to be 
well acquainted with me. Then I began to think of the 
poor kid, which I had pent in within my little circle, and 
resolved to go and fetch it home, and give it some food. 
Accordingly I went, and found it where I left it ; for, 
indeed, it could not get out, but w^s almost starved for 
want of food. I went and cut boughs of trees and branches 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Ill 


of such shrubs as I could find, and threw over to it ; and, 
having fed it, I tied it as I did before, to lead it away. 
But it was so tame with being hungry, that I had no need 
to have tied it ; for it followed me like a dog. As I con- 
tinually fed it, the creature became so loving, so gentle, 
and so fond, that it became from that time one of my 
domestics also, and would never leave me afterwards. 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


CHAPTER XXL 


HE rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now 



x come. I kept the 30th of September in the same 
solemn manner as before, being the anniversary of my land- 
ing on the island, having now been there two years, and 
no more prospect of being delivered than the first day I 
came there. I spent the whole day in humble and thank- 
ful acknowledgments of the many wonderful mercies 
which my solitary condition was attended with, and with- 
out which it might have been infinitely more miserable. 
I gave humble and hearty thanks, that God had been 
pleased to discover to me, even that it was possible I 
might be more happy in this solitary condition, than I 
should* have been in society, and in all the pleasures of 
the world. 

Before, as I walked about, either on my hunting or for 
viewing the country, the anguish of my soul at my condi- 
tion would break upon me on a sudden, and my very 
heart would die within me, to think of the woods, the 
mountains, the deserts I was in ; and how I was a prisoner 
locked up with the eternal bolts and bars of the ocean, 
in an uninhabitated wilderness without redemption. In 
the midst of the greatest composures of my mind, this 
would break out upon me like a storm, and make me 
wring my hands, and weep like a child. Sometimes it 
would take me in the middle of my work, and I would 
immediately sit down and sigh, and look down upon the 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


113 


ground for an hour or two together. This was still 
worse to me ; for, if I could burst out into tears, or yent 
myself by words, it would go off, and the grief, having 
exhausted itself, would abate. 

But now I began to exercise myself with new thoughts. 
I daily read the word of God, and applied all the comforts 
of it to my present state. One morning, being very sad, 
I opened the Bible upon these words : “ I will never, never 
leave thee, nor forsake thee ! ” Immediately it occurred 
that these words Were to me. Why else should they be 
directed in such a manner, just at the moment when I was 
mourning over my condition as one forsaken of God and 
man? “Well, then,” said I, “if God does not forsake me, 
of what ill consequence can it be, or what matters it, 
though the world should all forsake me, seeing on 
the other hand, if I had all the world, and should lose 
the favor and blessing of God, there would be no com- 
parison in the loss.” 

I never opened the Bible, or shut it, but my very soul 
within me blessed God for directing my friend in Eng- 
land, without any order of mine, to pack it up among my 
goods, and for assisting me afterwards to save it out of the 
wreck of the ship. 

In this disposition of mind, I began my third year. 
Though I have not given the reader the trouble of so par- 
ticular an account of my works this year -as at the first, 
yet, in general, it may be observed, that I was very seldom 
idle ; having regularly divided my time, according to the 
several daily employments that were before me, such as, 
first, my duty to God, and reading the Scriptures, which 
I constantly set apart some time for thrice every day. 
Secondly, the going abroad with my gun for food, which 


114 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


generally took me up three hours every morning when it 
did not rain. Thirdly, the ordering, curing, preserving, 
and cooking what I had killed or caught for my supply. 
These took up great part of the day. Also, it is to be 
considered, that, in the middle of the day, the violence of 
the heat was too great to stir out; so that about four 
hours in the evening was all the time I could be supposed 
to work in ; with this exception, that sometimes I changed 
my hours of hunting and working, and went to work in 
the morning, and abroad with my gun in the afternoon. 

To this short time allowed for labor, I desire may be 
added the exceeding laboriousness of my work. For 
want of tools, want of help, and want of skill, every- 
thing that I did took up many hours out of my time. 
For example, I was full two-and-forty days making me 
a board for a long shelf, which I wanted in my cave; 
whereas two sawyers, with their tools and saw-pit, would 
have cut six of them out of the same tree in half a day. 

My case was this : It was to be a large tree which was 
to be cut down, because my board was to be a broad one. 
The tree I was three days a cutting down, and two more 
cutting off the boughs, and reducing it to a log or piece 
of timber. With inexpressible hacking and hewing, I 
reduced both the sides of it into chips, till it began to be 
light enough to move; then I turned it, and made one 
side of it smooth and flat as a board, from end to end; 
then, turning that side downward, cut the other side till 
I brought the plank to be about three inches thick, and 
smooth on both sides. Any one may judge the labor of 
my hands in such a piece of work ; but labor and patience 
carried me through that and many other things. 

I was now in the months of November and December, 


OF BOB INS OK CBTJSOE. 


115 


expecting my crop of barley and rice. The ground I had 
manured or dug up for them, was not great. As I 
observed, my seed of each was not above the quantity of 
half a peck ; for I had lost one whole crop by sowing in 
the dry season. But now my crop promised very well, 
when, on a sudden, I found I was in danger of losing it all 
again by enemies of several sorts, which it was scarce 
possible to keep from it. At first, the goats, and wild 
creatures which I called hares, which, tasting the sweet- 
ness of the blade, lay in it night and day, as soon as it 
came up, and ate it so close that it could get no time to 
shoot up into stalks. 

This I saw no remedy for, but by making an enclosure 
about it with a hedge, which I did with a great deal of 
toil; and the more, because it required a great deal of 
speed, the creatures daily spoiling my corn. However, as 
my arable land was but small, suited to my crop, I got it 
totally well fenced in about three weeks’ time ; and shoot- 
ing some of the creatures in the daytime, I set my dog to 
guard it in the night, tying him up to a stake at the gate, 
where he would stand and bark all night long. So, in a 
little time, the enemies forsook the place, and the corn 
grew very strong and well, and began to ripen apace. 

But, as the beasts ruined me before, while my corn was 
in the blade, so the birds were as like to ruin me now, 
when it was in the ear; for, going along by the place to 
see how it throve, I saw my little crop surrounded with 
fowls of I know not how many sorts, which stood, as it 
were, watching till I should be gone. I immediately let 
fly among them (for I always had my gun with me). I 
had no sooner shot, but there arose up a little cloud of 
fowls, which I had not seen at all, from among the corn 
itself. 


116 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


This touched me sensibly, for I foresaw that, in a few 
days, they would devour all my hopes ; that I should be 
starved, and never be able to raise a crop at all ; and what 
to do I could not tell. However, I resolved not to lose 
my corn, if possible, though I should watch it night and 
day. In the first place, I went among it to see what dam- 
age was already done, and found they had spoiled a good 
deal of it ; but that, as it was yet too green for them, the 
loss was not so great, but the remainder was like to be a 
good crop, if it could be saved. 

I stayed by it to load my gun, and then coming away, I 
could easily see the thieves sitting upon all the trees about 
me, as if they only waited till I was gone away, and the 
event proved it to be so ; for, as I walked off, as if I was 
gone, I was no sooner out of their sight, but they dropped 
down one by one into the corn again. I was so provoked, 
that I could not have patience to stay till more came on, 
knowing that every grain that they ate now was, as it 
might be said, a peck loaf to me in the consequence. But 
coming up to the hedge, I fired again and killed three of 
them. This was what I wished for. So I took them up and 
served them, as we serve notorious thieves in England; 
that is, hanged them in chains, for a terror to others. It 
is almost impossible to imagine that this should have such 
an effect as it had, for the fowls would not only not come 
at the corn, but in short they forsook all that part of the 
island, and I could never see a bird near the place as long 
as my scarecrows hung there. This I was very glad of, 
you may be sure ; and, about the latter end of December, 
which was our second harvest of the year, I reaped my 
corn. 

I was sadly put to it for a scythe or a sickle to cut it 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


117 


clown, and all I could do was to make one as well as I 
could, out of one of the broadswords, or cutlasses, which I 
saved among the arms out of the ship. However, as my 
crop was but small, I had no great difficulty to cut it down. 
In short, I reaped it my way, for I cut nothing off but the 
ears, and carried it away in a great basket which I had 
made, and so rubbed it out with my hands. At the 
end of all my harvesting, I found that, out of my half-peck 
of seed, I had near two bushels of rice, and above two 
bushels and a half of barley ; that is to say, by my guess, 
for I had no measure at that time. 

However, this was a great encouragement to me, and I 
foresaw that in time it would please God to supply me 
with bread. Yet here I was perplexed again, for I neither 
knew how to grind or make meal of my corn, or, indeed, 
how to clean it and part it ; nor, if made into meal, how. 
to make bread of it ; and, if how to make it, yet I knew 
not how to bake it. These things being added to my 
desire of having a good quantity for store, and to secure 
a constant supply, I resolved not to taste any of this crop, 
but to preserve it all for seed against the next season, and 
in the meantime to employ all my study and hours of 
working to accomplish this great work of providing myself 
with corn and bread. 

It might be truly said that now I worked for my bread. 
It is a little wonderful, and what I believe few people 
have thought much upon ; namely, the strange multitude 
of little things necessary in the providing, producing, 
curing, dressing, making, and finishing, this one article of 
bread. 

First, I had no plough to turn the earth, no spade or 
shovel to dig it. Well, this I conquered by making a 


118 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


wooden spade, as I observed before. But this did my work 
in but a wooden manner ; and, though it cost me a great 
many days to make it, yet, for want of iron, it not only 
wore out the sooner, but made my work the harder, and 
made it be performed much worse. 

However, this I bore with, too, and was content to work 
it out with patience, and bear with the badness of the 
performance. When the corn was sowed, I had no har- 
row, but was forced to go over it myself, and drag a great 
heavy bough of a tree over it, to scratch the earth, as it 
may be called, rather than rake or harrow it. 

When it was growing or grown, I have observed already 
how many things I wanted, to fence it, secure it, mow or 
reap it, cure or carry it home, thresh, part it from the 
chaff, and save it. Then I wanted a mill to grind it, 
sieves to dress it, yeast and salt to make it into bread, and 
an oven to bake it in. All these things I did without, as 
shall be observed ; and yet the corn was an inestimable 
comfort and advantage to me, too. But all this, as I said, 
made everything laborious and tedious to me ; but that 
there was no help for, neither was my time so much loss 
to me, because I had divided it. A certain part of it was 
every day appointed to these works, and, as I resolved to 
use none of the corn for bread till I had a greater quan- 
tity by me, I had the next six months to apply myself, 
wholly by labor and invention, to furnish myself with 
utensils proper for the performing all the operations neces- 
sary for the making of the corn, when I had it, fit for 
my use. 

But first, I was to prepare more land, for I had now 
seed enough ’ to sow above an acre of ground. Before I 
did this, I had a week’s work, at least, to make me a 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


119 


spade, which, when it was done, was a very sorry one 
indeed, aufl. very heavy, and required double labor to 
work with it. However, I went through that, and sowed 
my seeds in large, flat pieces of ground, as near my 
house as I could find them to my mind, and fenced them 
in with a good hedge, the stakes of which were all cut off 
that W'ood which I had set before, which I knew would 
grow ; so that in one year’s time I knew I should have a 
quick or living hedge, that would want but little repair. 
This work was not so little as to take me up less than 
three months ; because great part of that time was in the 
wet season, when I could not go abroad. 

Within door, that is when it rained, and I could not go 
out, I found employment on the following occasion, always 
observing, that all the while I was at work, I diverted 
myself with talking to my parrot, and teaching him to 
speak. I quickly taught him M know his own name, at 
least, to speak it out pretty xoud, “Poll,” which was the 
first word I ever heard spoken in the island by any mouth 
but my own. This, therefore, was not my work, but an 
assistant to my work ; for now, as I said, I had a great 
employment upon my hands, as follows : I had long stud- 
ied, by some means or other, to make myself some earthen 
vessels, which, indeed, I wanted sorely, but knew not 
where to come at them. However, considering the heat 
of the climate, I did not doubt but, if I could find out 
any such clay, I might botch up some such pot, as might, 
being dried by the sun, be hard enough and strong enough 
to bear handling, and to hold anything that was dry, and 
required to be kept so. As this was necessary in prepar- 
ing corn, meal, etc., which was the thing I was upon, I 
resolved to make some as large as I could, and fit only to 
stand like jars, to hold what should be put into them. 


120 


LIFE AND AD VENTUBES 


It wouid make the reader pity me, or rather iaugh at 
me, to tell how many awkward ways I took to raise this 
paste ; what odd, misshapen, ugly things I made ; how 
many of them fell in, and how many fell out, the clay not 
being stiff enough to bear its own weight; how many 
cracked by the over-violent heat of the sun, being set out 
too hastily ; and how many fell to pieces with only remov- 
ing, as well before as after they were dried ; and, in a 
word, how, after having labored hard to find the clay, to 
dig it, to temper it, to bring it home, and work it, I could 
not make above two large earthen, ugly things — I cannot 
call them jars — in about two months' labor. 

However, as the sun baked these two very dry and hard, 
I lifted them very gently up, and set them down again in 
two greater wicker baskets, which I had made on purpose 
for them, that they might not break. As between the pot 
and the basket there was a little room to spare, I stuffed 
it full of the rice and barley straw ; and these two pots 
being to stand always dry, I thought it would hold my 
dry corn, and perhaps the meal, when the corn was 
bruised. 

Though I miscarried so much in my design for large 
pots, yet I made several smaller things with better success, 
such as little round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins , 1 
and anything my hand turned to, and the heat of the sun 
baked them strangely hard. 

But all this would not answer my end, which was to 
get an earthen pot to hold what was liquid, and bear the 
fire, which none of these could do. It happened after 
some time, making a pretty large fire for cooking my meat, 
when I went to put it out, after I had done with it, I found 
1 Small cartlieu boilers. 


OF ROBINSON' CRUSOE. 


121 


a broken piece of my earthen ware vessels in the fire, 
burnt as hard as a stone and red as a tile. I was agreeably 
surprised to see it, and said to myself, that certainly they 
might be made to burn whole, if they would burn broken. 

This set me to study how to order my fire, so as to make 
it burn me some pots. I had no notion of a kiln, such as 
the potters burn in, or of glazing them with lead, though 
T had some lead to do it with ; but I placed three large 
pipkins, and two or three pots, in a pile one upon another, 
and placed my firewood all round it, with a great heap of 
embers under them. I plied the fire with fresh fuel round 
'die outside, and upon the top, till I saw the pots in the 
inside red-hot quite through, and observed that they did 
not crack at all. When I saw them clear red, I let them 
stand in that heat about five or six hours, till I found one 
of them, though it did not crack, did melt or run. For 
the sand which was mixed with the clay melted by the 
violence of the heat, and would have run into glass, if I 
had gone on. So I slacked my fire gradually, till the pots 
began to abate of the red color. Watching them all 
night that I might not let the fire abate too fast, in the 
morning I had three very good, I will not say handsome, 
pipkins, and two other earthen pots, as hard burnt as 
could be desired, and one of them perfectly glazed with 
the running of the sand. 

After this experiment, I need not say that I wanted no 
sort of earthen ware for my use ; but I must needs say, as 
to the shapes of them, they were very indifferent, as any 
one may suppose, when I had no way of making them, but 
as the children make dirt pies, or as a woman would make 
pies that never learnt to raise paste. 

No joy at » thing of so mean a nature was ever equal to 


122 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


mine, when I found I had made an earthen pot that would 
bear the fire ; and I had hardly patience to stay till they 
were cold, before I set one upon the fire again, with some 
water in it, to boil me some meat, which it did admirably 
well. With a piece of kid I made some very good broth, 
though I wanted oatmeal, and several other ingredients 
requisite to make it so good as I would have had it. 

My next concern was to get me a stone mortar to stamp 
or beat some corn in; for, as to the mill, there was no 
thought of arriving to that perfection of art with one pair 
of hands. To supply this want I was at a great loss ; for 
of all trades in the world I was as perfectly unqualified 
for a stone-cutter as for any whatever ; neither had I any 
tools to go about it with. I spent many a day to find out 
a great stone big enough to cut hollow, and make fit for 
a mortar, and could find none at all, except what was in 
the solid rock, and which 1 had no way to dig or cut out ; 
nor indeed were the rocks in the island of haidness suffi- 
cient, but were all of a sandy, crumbling stone, which would 
neither bear the weight of a heavy pestle, nor would break 
the corn without filling it with sand. So, after a great 
deal of time lost in searching for a stone, I gave it over, 
and resolved to look out for a great block of hard wood, 
which I found indeed much easier. Getting one as big as 
I had strength to stir, I rounded it, and formed it on the 
outside with my axe and hatchet; and then, with the help 
of fire and infinite labor, made a hollow place in it, as the 
Indians in Brazil make* their canoes. After this, I made 
a great, heavy .pestle or beater of the wood called the iron- 
wood. This I prepared and laid by against I had my 
next crop of corn, when I proposed to myself to grind, or 
rather pound, my corn or meal to make my bread. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


123 


My next difficulty was to make a sieve, to dress my 
meal, and part it from the bran and the husk, without 
which I did not see it possible I could have any bread. 
This was a most difficult thing, so much as but to think 
on ; for, to be sure, I had nothing like the necessary 
things to make it with ; I mean fine, thin canvas or stuff, 
to sift the meal through. And here I was at a full stop 
for many months ; nor did I really know what to do. 
Linen I had none left but what was mere rags. I had 
goat’s hair, but neither knew I how to weave or spin it ; 
and had I known how, here were no tools to work it with. 
All the remedy I found for this was, that at last I did 
remember I had among the seamen’s clothes, which were 
saved out of the ship, some neckcloths of calico or muslin. 
With some pieces of these I made three small sieves, but 
proper enough for the work. Thus I made shift for some 
years. How I did afterwards, I shall show in its place. 

The baking part was the next thing to be considered, 
and how I should make bread when I came to have corn ; 
for, first, I had no yeast. As to that part, as there was 
no supplying the want, so I did not concern myself much 
about it. But, for an oven, I was, indeed, in great pain. 
At length I found out an experiment for that also, which 
was this : I made some earthen vessels very broad, but 
not deep ; that is to say, about two feet diameter, and not 
above nine inches deep. These I burnt in the fire, as I 
had done the other, and laid them by. When I wanted 
to bake, I made a great fire upon the hearth, which I had 
paved with some square tiles, of my own making and 
burning also ; but I should not call them square. When 
the firewood was burnt pretty much into embers, or live 
coals, I drew them forward upon this hearth, so as to 


124 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


cover it all over. There I let them lie, till the hearth was 
very hot. Then, sweeping away all the embers, I set 
clown my loaf or loaves ; and, whelming 1 clown the earthen 
pot upon them, drew the embers all round the outside of 
the pot, to keep in and add to the heat. Thus, as well as 
in the best oven in the world, I baked my barley-loaves, 
and became in a little time a pastry-cook into the bargain, 
for I made myself several cakes of the rice, and puddings. 

It need not be wondered at, if all these things took me 
up most part of the third year of my abode here; for it is 
to be observed, that in the intervals of these things, I had 
my new harvest and husbandry to manage. I reaped my 
corn in its season, and carried it home as well as I could, 
and laid it up in the ear, in my large baskets, till I had 
time to rub it out ; for I had no floor to thrash it oh, or 
instrument to thrash it with. 

And now, indeed, my stock of corn increasing, I really 
wanted to build my barns bigger. I wanted a place to lay 
it up in ; for the increase of the corn now yielded me so 
much, that I had of the barley about twenty bushels, and 
of the rice as much, or more ; insomuch that I now 
resolved to begin to use it freely, for my bread had been 
quite gone a great while. Also I resolved to see what 
quantity would be sufficient for me a whole year, and to 
sow but once a year. 

Upon the whole, I found that the forty bushels of barley 
and rice were much more than I could consume in a year ; 
so I resolved to sow just the same quantity every year 
that I sowed the last, in hopes that such a quantity would 
fully provide me with bread. 

1 Throwing down so as to cover them. 


OF BOB IX SON CBUSOE. 


125 


CHAPTER XIII. 

A LL the while these things were doing, you may be 
sure my thoughts ran many tunes upon the prospect 
of land which I had seen from the other side of the island ; 
and I was not without secret wishes that I was on shore 
there, fancying that, seeing the main-land and an inhabited 
country, I might find some way or other to convey myself 
farther, and, perhaps, at last find some means of escape. 

But, all this while, I made no allowance for the dangers 
of such a condition, and how I might fall into the hands 
of savages, and perhaps such as I might have reason to 
think far worse than the lions and tigers of Africa. That, 
if I once came into their power, I should run a hazard, 
more than a thousand to one, of being killed, and perhaps 
of being eaten ; for I had heard that the people of the 
Caribbean coast were cannibals or men-eaters. I knew 
by the latitude that I could not be far off from that shore. 
All these things, I say, which I ought to have considered 
well of, and I did cast up in my thoughts afterwards, yet 
took none of my apprehensions at first. My head ran 
continually upon the thought of getting over to that shore. 

Now I wished for my boy Xury, and the long boat with 
the shoulder-of-mutton sail, with which I sailed above a 
thousand miles on the coast of Africa; but this was in 
vain. . Then I thought I would go and look on our ship’s 
boat, which, as I have said, was blown up upon the shore 


126 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


a great way in the storm, when we were first cast away. 
She lay almost where she did at first, but not quite ; and 
was turned, by the force of the waves and the winds, 
almost bottom upwards, against the high ridge of a beachy, 
rough sand, but no water about her as before. 

Had I had hands to have refitted her, and have launched 
her into the water, the boat would have done well enough, 
and I might have gone back into the Brazils with her 
easily enough; but I might have easily foreseen that I 
could no more turn her, and set her upright upon her 
bottom, than I could remove the island. However, I went 
to the wood, and cut levers and rollers, and brought them 
to the boat, resolving to try what I could do ; suggesting 
to myself, that, if I could but turn her down, I might 
easily repair the damage she had received, and she would 
be a very good boat, and I might go to sea in her very 
easily. 

I spared no pains, indeed, in this piece of fruitless 
toil, and spent, I think, three or four weeks about it. At 
last, finding it impossible to heave it up with my little 
strength, I fell to digging away the sand to undermine it, 
and so to make it fall down, setting pieces of wood to 
thrust and guide it right in the fall. 

But when I had done this, I was unable to stir it up 
again, or to get under it ; much less, to move it forwards 
towards the water ; so I was forced to give it over. And 
yet, though I gave over hopes of the boat, my desire to 
venture over for the main increased, rather than decreased, 
as the means for it seemed impossible. 

This at length set me upon thinking whether it was not 
possible to make myself a canoe or periagua, such as the 
natives of those climates make, even without tools, or, as 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


12? 


I might say, without hands; namely, of the trunk of a 
great tree. This I not only thought possible, but easy ; 
and pleased myself extremely with my thoughts of making 
it, and with my having much more convenience for it 
than any of the negroes or Indians. I did not at all con- 
sider the particular inconveniences which I lay under more 
than the Indians did ; namely, want of hands to move 
it into the water, when it was made, — a difficulty much 
harder for me to surmount than all the consequences of 
want of tools could be to them. But my thoughts were 
so intent upon my voyage over the sea in it, that I never 
once considered how I should get it off the land ; and it 
was really, in its own nature, more easy for me to guide 
it over forty-five miles of sea, than above forty-five fath- 
oms of land where it lay, to set it afloat in the water. 

I went to work upon this boat the most like a fool that 
ever man did, who had any of his senses awake. I pleased 
myself with the design, without determining whether I 
was ever able to undertake it. Not but that the difficulty 
of launching my boat came often into my head ; but I put 
a stop to my own inquiries into it by this foolish answer 
which I gave myself : “ Let me first make it ; I will war- 
rant I will find some way or other to get it along when it 
is done.” 

This was a most preposterous method ; but the eager- 
ness of my fancy prevailed, and to work I went, and felled 
a cedar-tree. I question much whether Solomon ever had 
such a one for the building of the temple of Jerusalem. It 
was five feet ten inches diameter at the lower part next the 
stump, and four feet eleven inches diameter at the end of 
twenty-two feet, after which it lessened for a while, and 
then parted into branches. It was not without infinite 


128 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


labor that I felled this tree. I was twenty days hacking 
and hewing at it at the bottom. I was fourteen more get- 
ting the branches and limbs and the vast spreading head 
of it cut off, which I hacked and hewed through with my 
axe and hatchet, with inexpressible labor. After this, it 
cost me a month to shape it and dub 1 it to a proportion, and 
to something like the bottom of a boat, that it might swim 
upright as it ought. It cost me near three months more 
to clear the inside, and work it out so as to make an exact 
boat of it. This I did indeed without fire, by mere mallet 
and chisel, and by the dint of hard labor; till I had 
brought it to be a very handsome periagua, and big enough 
to have carried six and twenty men, and consequently big 
enough to have carried me and all my cargo. 

When I had gone through this work, I was extremely 
delighted with it. The boat was really much bigger than 
I ever saw a canoe or periagua, that was made of one tree, 
in my life. Many a weary stroke it had cost, you may be 
sure. There remained nothing but to get it into the 
water. Had I gotten it into the water, I make no ques- 
tion but I should have begun the maddest voyage, and 
the most unlikely to be performed, that ever was under- 
taken. 

But all my devices to get it into the water failed me, 
though they cost infinite labor too. It lay about one hun- 
dred yards from the water, and not more. But the first 
inconvenience was, it was up-hill towards the creek. Well, 
to take away this discouragement, I resolved to dig into 
the surface of the earth, and so make a declivity. This I 
began, and it cost me a prodigious deal of pains. But 
who grudge pains that have their deliverance in view? 


1 To hew it. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


129 


When this was worked through, and this difficulty man- 
aged, it was still much at one ; 1 for I could no more stir 
the canoe than I could the other boat. 

Then I measured the distance of ground, and resolved 
to cut a dock, or canal, to bring the water up to the canoe, 
seeing I could not bring the canoe down to the water. 
Well, I began this work. But when I calculated how 
deep it was to be dug, how broad, how the stuff was to be 
thrown out, I found that by the number of hands I had, 
being none but my own, it must have been ten or twelve 
years before I should have gone through with it ; for the 
shore lay high, so that at the upper end it must have been 
at least twenty feet deep. So, at length, though with great 
reluctancy, I gave this attempt over also. 

This grieved me heartily ; and now I saw, though too 
late, the folly of beginning a work before we count the 
cost, and before we judge rightly of our own strength to 
go through with it. 

In the middle of this work I finished my fourth year in 
this place, and kept my anniversary with the same devo- 
tion, and with as much comfort, as ever before ; for, by a 
constant study, and serious application of the word of 
God, and by the assistance of His grace, I gained a differ- 
ent knowledge from what I had before. I entertained 
different notions of things. I looked now upon the world 
as a thing remote, which I had nothing to do with, no ex- 
pectation from, and indeed no desires about. In a word, I 
had nothing indeed to do with it, nor was ever like to 
have. So I thought it looked, as we may perhaps look 
upon it hereafter, namely, as a place I had lived in, but 
Was come out of it. And well might I say, as Father 
1 It was in much the same condition as before. 


130 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


Abraham to Dives, “ Between me and thee there is a great 
gulf fixed.” 

In the first place, I was removed from all the wicked- 
ness of the world here. I had neither the lust of the 
flesh, the lust of the eye, nor the pride of life. I had 
nothing to covet, for I had all I was now capable of enjoy- 
ing. I was lord of the manor ; or, if I pleased, I might 
call myself king or emperor over the whole country which 
I had possession of. There were no rivals. I had no 
competitor, none to dispute sovereignty or command with 
me . 1 I might have raised ship-loadings of corn, but I had 
no use for it ; so I let as little grow as I thought enough 
for my occasion. I had tortoises or turtles enough ; but 
now and then, one was as much as I could put to any use. 
I had timber enough to have built a fleet of ships. I had 
grapes enough to have made wine, or to have cured into 
raisins to have loaded that fleet when it had been built. 

I had, as I hinted before, a parcel of money, as well 
gold as silver, about thniy-six pounds sterling. Alas! 
there the nasty, sorry, useless stuff lay. I had no manner 
of business for it, and I often thought with myself, that I 
would have given a handful of it for a gross of tobacco- 
pipes, or for a hand-mill to grind my corn ; nay, I would 
have given it all for six-penny worth of turnip and carrot 
seed out of England, or for a handful of peas and beans, 
and a bottle of ink. 

I had now been here so long, that many things which I 
brought on shore for my help were either quite gone, or 
very much wasted, and near spent. My ink, as I ob- 
served, had been gone for some time, all but a very little, 
which I eked out with water a little and a little, till it 
1 See Cowper’s poem of Alexander Selkirk. 


OF FOB ms ON Cli USOE. 


131 


was so pale it scarce left any appearance of black upon 
the paper. As long as it lasted, I made use of it to min- 
ute down the days of the month on which any remarkable 
thing happened to me ; and first, by casting up times past, 
I remembered that there was a strange concurrence of 
days in the various providences which befell me, and 
which, if I had been superstitiously inclined to observe 
days as fatal or fortunate, I might have had reason to have 
looked upon with a great deal of curiosity. 

First, I had observed that the same day that I broke 
away from my father and my friends, and ran away to 
Hull in order to go to sea, the same day afterwards, I was 
taken by the Sallee man-of-war, and made a slave. 

The same day of the year that' I escaped out of the 
wreck of that ship in Yarmouth Roads, that same day of 
the year afterwards I made my escape from Sallee in the 
boat. 

The same day of the year I was born on, namely, the 
30tli of September, the same day I had my life so miracu- 
lously saved twenty-six years after, when I was cast on 
shore in this island ; so that my wicked life and solitary 
life both began on a day. 

The next thing to my ink being wasted, was that of my 
bread; I mean the biscuit which I brought out of the 
ship. This I had husbanded to the last degree, allowing 
myself but one cake of bread a day for above a year, and 
yet I was quite without bread for near a year before I got 
any corn of my own ; and great reason I had to be thank- 
ful that I had any at all, the getting it being, as has been 
already observed, next to miraculous. 

My clothes, too, began to decay. As to linen, I had 
had none a good while, except some checkered shirts 


132 LIFE AND AD VENTURES 

which I found in the chests of the other seamen, and 
which I carefully preserved, because many times I could 
bear no other clothes on but a shirt ; and it was a very 
great help to me that I had, among all the men’s clothes 
of the ship, almost three dozen of shirts. There were, 
also, several thick watch-coats of the seamen’s, which were 
left indeed, but they were too hot to wear. 

I have mentioned that I saved the skins of all the 
creatures that I killed, — I mean four-footed ones ; and I 
had hung them up stretched out with sticks in the sun, 
by which means some of them were so dry and hard that 
they were fit for little ; but others, it seems, were very 
useful. The first thing I made of these was a great cap 
for my head, with the hair on the outside to shoot off the 
rain. This I performed so well, that, after this, I made 
a suit of clothes' wholly of those skins ; that is to say, a 
waistcoat, and breeches open at the knees, and both loose ; 
for they were rather wanted to keep me cool than to keep 
me warm. I must not omit to acknowledge that they 
were wretchedly made ; for, if I was a bad carpenter, I 
wtis a worse tailor. However, they were such as I made 
Yery good shift with ; and, when I was abroad, if it 
happened to rain, the hair of the waistcoat and cap being 
outmost, I was kept very dry. 

After this, I spent a great deal of time and pains to 
make me an umbrella. I was, indeed, in great want of 
one, and had a great mind to make one. I had seen them 
made in the Brazils, where they are very useful in the 
great heats which are there ; and I felt the heats every 
jot as great here, and greater too, being nearer the equi- 
nox . 1 Besides, as I was obliged to be much abroad, it was 
1 That is, the equator. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


133 


a most useful thing to me, as well for the rains as the 
heats. I took a world of pains at it, and was a great while 
before I could make anything likely to hold. Nay, after 
I thought I had hit the way, I spoiled two or three before 
I made one to my mind ; but, at last, I made one that 
answered indifferently well. The main difficulty I found 
was to make it to let down. I could make it to spread; 
but if it did not let down too, and draw in, it would not 
be portable for me any way, but just over my head, which 
would not do. However, at last, as I said, I made one to 
answer. I covered it. with skins, the hair upwards, so 
that it cast off the rain like a pent-house , 1 and kept off the 
sun so effectually that I could walk out in the hottest of 
the weather with greater advantage than I could before in 
the coolest. When I had no need of it, I could close it, 
and carry it under my arm. 

Thus I lived very comfortably, my mind being entirely 
composed, by resigning to the will of God, and throwing 
myself wholly upon the disposal of his Providence. 

I cannot say that after this, for five years, any extraordi- 
nary thing happened to me ; but I lived on in the same course, 
in the same posture and place, just as before. The chief 
thing I was employed in, besides my yearly labor of plant- 
ing my barley and rice, and curing my raisins, of both 
which I always kept up just enough to have sufficient 
stock of the year’s provisions beforehand ; I say, besides 
this yearly labor, and my daily labor of going out with my 
gun, I had one labor to make me a canoe, which at last I 
finished. By digging a canal to it six feet wide, and four 
feet deep, I brought it into the creek, almost half a mile. 

However, though my little periagua was finished, yet 


1 A shed. 


134 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


the size of it was not at all answerable to the design which 
I had in view, when I made the first ; I mean of venturing 
over to the terra firma, where it was above forty miles 
broad. Accordingly, the smallness of my boat assisted to 
put an end to that design, and now I thought no more of 
it. But, as I had a boat, my next design was to make a 
tour round the island ; for, as I had been on the other side, 
in one place, crossing, as I have already described it, over 
the land, so the discoveries I made in that journey made 
me very eager to see other parts of the coast. Now I had 
a boat, I thought of nothing but sailing round the island. 

For this purpose, and that 1 might do everything with 
discretion and consideration, I fitted up a little mast to my 
boat, and made a sail to it out of some of the pieces of the 
ship’s sails, which lay in store, and of which I had a great 
store by me. 

Having fitted my mast and sail, and tried the boat, I 
found she would sail very well. Then, I made little 
lockers and boxes at each end of my boat, to put provisions, 
necessaries, and ammunition, etc., into, to be kept dry, 
either from rain, or the spray of the sea. A little, long, 
hollow place I cut in the inside of the boat, where I could 
lay my gun, making a flap to hang down over it to keep it 
dry. 

I fixed my umbrella also in a step at the stern, like a 
mast, to stand over my head, and keep the heat of the sun 
off me, like an awning. Thus I every now and then took a 
little voyage upon the sea, but never went far out, nor far 
from the little creek. But at last, being eager to view the 
circumference of my little kingdom, I resolved upon my 
tour, and accordingly I victualed my ship for the voyage ; 
putting in two dozen of my loaves (cakes, I should rather 


OF BOB INS ON CRUSOE. 


135 


call them) of barley bread ; an earthen pot full of parched 
rice, a food I ate a great deal of ; a little bottle of rum, 
half a goat, and powder with shot for killing more ; and 
two large watch-coats, of those which, as I mentioned be- 
fore, I had saved out of the seamen’s chests. These I took, 
one to lie upon, and the other to cover me in the night. 


136 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


CHAPTER XIV. 

I T was the sixth of November, in the sixth year of my 
reign, or my captivity, which you please, that I set out 
on this voyage, and I found it much longer than I expected. 
Though the island itself was not very large, yet when I 
came to the east side of it, I found a great ledge of rocks 
lie out about two leagues into the sea, some above water, 
some under it. Beyond this was a shoal of sand, lying dry 
half a league more ; so that I was obliged to go a great 
way out to sea to double that point. 

When I first discovered these obstacles, I was going to 
give over my enterprise,, and come back again, not knowing 
how far it might oblige me to go out to sea, and above all, 
doubting how I should get back again. So I came to an 
anchor, for I had made me a kind of an anchor, with a 
piece of broken grappling which. I got out of the ship. 

Having secured my boat, I took my gun, and went on 
shore, climbing up a hill, which seemed to overlook that 
point, where I saw the full extent of it, and resolved to 
venture. 

In my viewing the sea from that hill where I stood, I 
perceived a strong, and, indeed, a most furious current, 
which ran to the east, and even came close to the point. I 
took the more notice of it, because I saw there might be 
some danger that when I came into it, I might be carried 
out to sea by the strength of it, and not be able to make 


OF ROBINS OX CRUSOE. 


137 


the island again. And, indeed, had I not gotten first upon 
this hill, I believe it would have been so; for there was 
the same current on the other side of the island, only that 
it set it off at a farther distance, and I saw there was a 
strong eddy under the shore. So I had nothing to do but 
to get out of the first current, and I should presently be 
in an eddy. 

I lay here, however, two days ; because the wind blow- 
ing pretty fresh (E. at S. E., and that being just contrary 
to the said current) made a great breach of the sea upon the 
point ; so that it was not safe for me to keep too close to 
the shore for the breach, nor to go too far off because of 
the stream. 

The third day, in the morning, the wind having abated 
over night, the sea was calm, and I ventured ; but I am a 
warning-piece again to all rash and ignorant pilots. For 
no sooner was I come to the point, when I was not my 
boat’s length from the shore, but I found myself in a great 
depth of water, and a current like the sluice of a mill. It 
carried my boat along with it with such violence that all 
I could do could not keep her so much as on the edge of 
it ; but I found it hurried me farther and farther out from 
the eddy, which was on the left hand. There was no 
wind stirring to help me, and all that I could do with my 
paddles signified nothing. And now I began to give 
myself over for lost. For, as the current was on both 
sides the island, I knew in a few leagues’ distance they 
must join again, and then I was irrevocably gone. Nor 
did I see any possibility of avoiding it ; so that I had no 
prospect before me but of perishing; not by the sea, for 
that was calm enough, but of starving for hunger. I had, 
indeed, found a tortoise on the shore, as big almost as I 


138 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


could lift, and had tossed it into the boat; and I had a 
great jar of fresh water, that is to say, one of my earthen 
pots. But what was all this to being driven into the vast 
ocean, where, to be sure, there was no shore, no mainland 
or island, for a thousand leagues at least ! 

And now I saw how easy it was for the providence of God 
to make the most miserable condition that mankind could 
be in worse. Now I looked back upon my desolate, solitary 
island, as the most pleasant place in the world, and that 
all the happiness my heart could wish for, was to be there 
again. I stretched out my hands to it with eager wishes. 
“ O happy desert,” said I, “ I shall never see thee more ! ” 
“ O, miserable creature ! ” said I, “ whither am I going ? ” 
Then I reproached myself with my unthankful temper, 
and how I had repined at my solitary condition. And 
now what would I give to be on shore there again ! 
Thus, we never see the true state of our condition, till it 
is illustrated to us by its contraries ; nor know how to 
value what we enjoy, but by the want of it. It is scarce 
possible to imagine the consternation I was now in, being 
driven from my beloved island (for so it appeared to me 
now to be) into the wild ocean, almost two leagues, and 
in the utmost despair of ever recovering it again. How- 
ever, I worked hard, till indeed my strength was almost 
exhausted ; and kept my boat as much to the northward, 
that is, towards the side of the current which the eddy 
lay on, as possibly I could. When, about noon, as the sun 
passed the meridian, I thought I felt a little breeze of 
wind in my face, springing up from the S. S. E. This 
cheered my heart a little, and especially when, in about 
half an hour more, it blew a pretty small, gentle gale. By 
this time I was gotten at a frightful distance from the 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


139 


island ; and, had the least cloud or hazy weather intervened, 
I had been undone another way too ; for I had no compass 
on board, and should never have known how to have steered 
towards the island, if I had but once lost sight of it. But 
the weather continuing clear, I applied myself to get up 
my mast again, and spread my sail, standing away to the 
north as much as possible, to get out of the current. 

Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began 
to stretch away, I saw, even by the clearness of the water, 
some alteration of the current was near ; for,' where the cur- 
rent was so strong, the water was foul. But, perceiving 
the water clear, I found the current abate, and presently I 
found to the east, at about half a mile, a breach of the sea 
upon some rocks. These rocks, I found, caused the cur- 
rent to part again ; and, as the main stress of it ran away 
more southerly, leaving the rocks to the north-east, so the 
other returned by the repulse of the rock, and made a 
strong eddy, which ran back again to the north-west with 
a very sharp stream. 

They who know what it is to have a reprieve brought to 
them upon the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves just 
going to murder them, or who have been in such like 
extremities, may guess what my present surprise of joy 
was, and how gladly I put my boat into the stream of this 
eddy. And the wind also freshening, how gladly I spread 
my sail to it, running cheerfully before the wind, and 
with a strong tide or eddy under foot. 

This eddy carried me about a league in my way back 
again directly towards the island, but about two leagues 
more towards the northward than the current lay, which 
carried me away at first ; so that, when I came near the 
island, I found myself open to the northern shore of it, 


140 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


that is to say, the other end of the island, opposite to that 
which I went out from. 

When I had made something more than a league of 
way by the help of this current or eddy, I found it was 
spent, and served me no further. However, I found that 
being between the two great currents, namely, that on 
the south side which had hurried me away, and that on 
the north, which lay about two leagues on the other side, 
I say, between these two, in the west of the island, I 
found the water at least still, and running no way ; and 
having still a breeze of wind fair for me, I kept on steer- 
ing directly for the island, though not making such fresh 
way as I did before. 

About four o’clock in the evening, being then within 
about a league of the ‘island, I stretched across this eddy, 
slanting north-west, and in about an hour came within 
about a mile of the shore. It being smooth water, I soon 
got to land. 

When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave 
God thanks for my deliverance, resolving to lay aside all 
thoughts of my deliverance by my boat ; and, refreshing 
myself with such things as I had, I brought my boat close 
to the shore, in a little cove that I had espied under some 
trees, and laid me down to sleep, being quite spent with 
the labor and fatigue of the voyage. 

I was now at a great loss which way to get home with my 
boat. I had run so much hazard, and knew too much of 
the case, to think of attempting it by the way I went out; 
and what might be at the other side (I mean the west side) 
I knew not, nor had I any mind to run any more ventures. 
So I only resolved in the morning to make my way west- 
ward along the shore, and to see if there was no creek 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


141 


where I might lay up my frigate in safety, so as to have 
her again if I wanted her. In about three miles, or there- 
abouts, coasting the shore, I came to a very good inlet, or 
bay, about a mile over, which narrowed till it came to a 
very little rivulet, or brook, where I found a convenient 
harbor for my boat, and where she lay as if she had been 
in a little dock made on purpose for her. Here I put in, 
and, having stowed my boat very safe, I went on shore to 
look about me, and see where I was. 

I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where 
I had been before when I travelled on foot to that shore ; 
so, taking nothing out of my boat but my gun and my 
umbrella, for it was exceeding hot, I began my march. 
The way was comfortable enough after such a voyage as 
I had been upon, and I reached my old bower in the 
evening, where I found everything standing as I left it; 
for I always kept it in good order, being, as I said before, 
my country house. 

I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to rest 
my limbs, — for I was very weary, — and fell asleep. But 
judge you, if you can, that read my story, what a surprise 
I must be in, when I was awaked out of my sleep by a 
voice calling me by my name several times, “ Robin, Robin, 
Robin Crusoe, poor Robin Crusoe ! ” “ Where are you, 

Robin Crusoe ? ” “ Where are you ? ” “Where have you 

been ? ” 

I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with rowing, 
or paddling, as it is called, the first part of the day, and 
walking the latter part, that I did not awake thoroughly; 
and, dozing between sleeping and waking, thought I 
dreamed that somebody spoke to me. But, as the voice 
continued to repeat, “ Robin Crusoe, Robin Crusoe,” at last 


142 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


I began to awake more perfectly, and was at first dread- 
fully frightened, and started up in the utmost consterna- 
tion. But no sooner were my eyes open, than I saw my 
Poll sitting on the top of the hedge, and immediately 
knew that this was he that spoke to me ; for just in such 
bemoaning language I used to talk to him, and teach 
him. He had learned it so perfectly, that he would 
sit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my face, and 
cry, “ Poor Robin Crusoe, where are you ? ” “ Where 

have you been?” “How came you here?” — and such 
things as I had taught him. 

However, even though I knew it was the parrot, and 
that, indeed, it could be nobody else, it was a good while 
before I could compose myself. First, I was amazed how 
the creature got thither, and then how he should just keep 
about the place, and nowhere else. But as I was well satis- 
fied it could be nobody but honest Poll, I held out my 
hand, and called him by his name. The sociable creature 
came to me, and sat upon my thumb, as he used to do. 
He continued talking to me,- Poor Robin Crusoe, and how 
did I come here ? and where had I been ? just as if he had 
been overjoyed to see me again ; and so I carried him 
home along with me. 

I had enough of rambling to sea for some time, and 
enough to do for many days to sit still, and reflect upon 
the danger I had been in. I would have been very glad 
to have had my boat again on my side of the island, but I 
knew not how it was practicable to get it about. As to 
the east side of the island, which I had gone round, I knew 
well enough there was no venturing that way. My very 
heart would shrink, and my very blood run chill, but to 
think of it. As to the other side of the island, I did not 
know how it might be there. But, supposing the current 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


143 


ran with the same force against the shore at the east, as 
it passed by it on the other, I might run the same risk of 
being driven down the stream, and carried by the island, 
as I had been before of being carried away from it. So 
with these thoughts I contented myself to be without 
any boat, though it had been the product of so many 
months’ labor to make it, and of so many more to get 
it into the sea. 

In this government of my temper I remained near a 
year, and lived a very sedate, retired life, as you may well 
suppose. My thoughts being very much composed as to 
my condition, and being fully comforted in resigning my- 
self to the dispensations of Providence, I thought I lived 
really very happily in all things, except that of society. 

I improved myself, in this time, in all the mechanic ex- 
ercises which my necessities put me upon applying myself 
to. I believe I could, upon occasion, have made a very 
good carpenter, especially considering how few tools I had. 

Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in 
my earthenware, and contrived well enough to make them 
with a wheel, which I found infinitely easier and better, 
because I made things round and shapeable, which before 
were filthy things indeed to look on. But I think I never 
was more vain of my own performance, or more joyful for 
anything I found out, than for my being able to make a 
tobacco-pipe. Though it was a very ugly, clumsy thing 
when it was done, and only burnt red like other earthen 
ware, yet as it was hard and firm, and would . draw the 
smoke, I was exceedingly comforted with it. For I had 
always been used to smoke, and there were pipes in the 
ship, but I forgot them at first, not knowing there was 
tobacco in the island ; and afterwards, when I searched 
the ship again, I could not come at any pipes at all. 


144 LIFE AND ADVENTURES 

In my wicker ware I also improved much, and made 
abundance of necessary baskets as well as my invention 
showed me, though not very handsome, yet convenient for 
my laying things up in, or fetching things home in. For 
example, if I killed a goat abroad I could hang it up in a 
tree, flay it, and dress it, and cut it in pieces, and bring it 
home in a basket ; and the like by a turtle. I could cut 
it up, take out the eggs, and a piece or two of the flesh, 
which was enough for me, and bring them home in a 
basket, and leave the rest behind me. Also large, deep, 
baskets were my receivers for my corn, which I always 
rubbed out as soon as it was dry and cured ; and kept it 
in great baskets instead of a granary. 

I began now to perceive my powder abated consider- 
ably ; and this was a want which it was impossible for me 
to supply. Then I began seriously to consider what I 
must do when I should have no more powder ; that is to 
say, how should I do to kill any goats. I had, as I 
observed, in the third year of my being here, kept a young 
kid and bred her tame. I was in hopes of getting a he- 
kid, but I could not by any means bring it to pass, till my 
kid grew an old goat; and I could never find it in my 
heart to kill her, till she died at last of mere age. 

But, being now in the eleventh year of my residence, 
and, as I have said, my ammunition growing low, I set 
myself to study some art to trap and snare the goats, to 
see whether I could not catch some of them alive. To 
this purpose I made snares to hamper them ; and I believe 
they were more than once taken in them. But my tackle 
was not good, for I had no wire, and always found them 
broken, and my bait devoured. At length I resolved to 
try a pit-fall ; so I dug several large pits in the earth, in 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE . 


145 


places where I had observed the goats used to feed, and 
over these pits I placed hurdles of my own making, too, 
with a great weight upon them. Several times I put ears 
.of barley, and dry rice, without setting the trap. I could 
easily perceive that the goats had gone in, and eaten up 
the corn, for I could see the marks of their feet. At 
length, I set three traps in one night, and, going the next 
morning, I found them all standing, and yet the bait eaten 
and gone. This was very discouraging. However, I altered 
my trap ; and, not to trouble you with particulars, going 
one morning to see my traps, I found in one of them a 
large, old lie-goat ; and, in one of the others, three kids, a 
male and two females. 

As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him. He 
was so fierce I durst not go into the pit to him ; that is to 
say, to bring him away alive, which was what I wanted. 
I could have killed him, but that was not my business, 
nor would it answer my end ; so I e’en let him out, and 
he ran away as if he had been frightened out of his wits. 
But I did not then know what I afterwards learned, that 
hunger would tame a lion. If I had let him stay there 
three or four days without food, and then have carried 
him some water to drink, and then a little corn, he would 
have been as tame as one of the kids ; for they are very 
sagacious, tractable creatures, where they are well used. 

However, for the present, I let him go, knowing no 
better at that time. Then I went to the three kids, and, 
taking them one by one, I tied them with strings together ; 
and, with some difficulty, brought them all home. 

It was a good while before they would feed ; but, throwr 
ing them some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they 
began to be tame. And now I foujid that, if I expected 


146 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


to supply myself with goat’s flesh, when I had no powder 
or shot left, breeding some up tame was my only way, 
when, perhaps, I might have them about my house like a 
flock of sheep. But then it presently occurred to me, that 
I must keep the tame from the wild, or else they would 
always run wild when they grew up. The only way 
for this was to have some enclosed piece of ground, well 
fenced, either with hedge or pale, to keep them in so 
effectually that those within might not break out, or those 
without break in. 

This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands. 
Yet, as I saw there was an absolute necessity of doing it, 
my first piece of work was to find out a proper piece of 
ground ; namely, where there was likely to be herbage for 
them to eat, water for them to drink, and coyer to keep 
them from the sun. 

Those who understand such enclosures, will think I 
had very little contrivance, when I pitched upon a place 
very proper for all these, being a plain, open piece of 
meadow-land, or savanna (as our people call it in the 
western colonies), which had two or three little rills of 
fresh water in it, and at one end was very woody. I say 
they will smile at my forecast, when I shall tell them 
I began my enclosing of this piece of ground in such a 
manner, that my hedge or pale must have been, at least, 
two miles about. Nor was the madness of it so great as 
to the compass ; for, if it was ten miles about, I was like 
to have time enough to do it in. But I did not consider 
that my goats would be as wild in so much compass, as if 
they had had the whole island; and I should have so 
much room to chase them in, that I should never catch 
them. My hedge was begun and carried on, I believe, 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE . 


147 


about fifty yards, when this thought occurred to me. So 
I presently stopped short, and, for the first beginning, I 
resolved to enclose a piece of about one hundred and fifty 
yards in length, and one hundred yards in breadth, which, 
as it would maintain as many as I should have in any 
reasonable time, so, as my flock increased, I could add 
more ground to my enclosure. 

This was acting with some prudence, and I went to 
work with courage. I was about three months hedging 
in the first piece ; and, till I had done it, I tethered the 
three kids in the best part of it, and used them to feed as 
near me as possible, to make them familiar. Very often 
I would go and carry them some ears of barley, or a hand- 
ful of rice, and feed them out of my hand ; so that, after 
my enclosure was finished, and I let them loose, they 
would follow me up and down, bleating after me for a 
handful of corn. 

This answered my end, and in about a year and a half 
I had a flock of about twelve goats, kids and all ; and in 
two years more I had three and forty, besides several I 
took and killed for my food. After that, I enclosed five 
several pieces of ground to feed them in, with little pens 
to drive them into, to take them as I wanted them ; and 
gates out of one piece of ground into another. 

But this was not all. For now I not only had goat’s 
flesh to feed on when I pleased, but milk, too, — a thing 
which, indeed, in my beginning, I did not so much as 
think of, and which, when it came into my thoughts, was 
really an agreeable surprise ; for now I sat up my dairy, and 
had, sometimes, a gallon or two of milk in a day. And, 
as Nature, who gives supplies of food to every creature, 
dictates, even naturally, how to make use of it, so I, that 


148 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


had never milked a cow, much less a goat, or seen butter 
or cheese made, very readily and handily, though after a 
great many essays and miscarriages, made me both butter 
and cheese at last, and never wanted it afterwards. 

How mercifully can our great Creator treat his crea- 
tures, even in those conditions in which they seem to 
be overwhelmed in destruction ! How can he sweeten the 
bitterest providences, and give us cause to praise him for 
dungeons and prisons ! What a table was here spread for 
me in a wilderness, where I saw nothing at first but to 
perish for hunger ! 

It would have made a stoic 1 smile to have seen me and 
my little family sit down to dinner. There was my maj- 
esty, the prince and lord of the whole island. I had the 
lives of all my subjects at absolute command. I could 
hang, draw, give liberty, and take it away, and no rebels 
among all my subjects ! 

Then to see how like a king I dined, too, all alone, at- 
tended by my servants! Poll, as if he had been my favor- 
ite, was the only person permitted to talk to me. My dog, 
which was now grown old and crazy, sat always at my 
right hand ; and two cats, one on one side the table, and 
one on the other, expecting now and then a bit from my 
hand as a mark of special favor. 


1 A stoic is a man who is not moved either by pleasure or pain. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE . 


149 


CHAPTER XV. 


WAS something impatient, as I have observed, to have 



JL the use of my boat, though very loth to run any more 
hazard. Therefore sometimes I sat contriving ways to get 
her about the island, and at other times I sat myself down 
contented enough without her. But I had a strange un- 
easiness in my mind to go down to the point of the island, 
where, as I have said, in my last ramble, I went up the 
hill to see how the shore lay, and how the current set, that 
I might see what I had to do. This inclination increased 
on me every day ; and at length I resolved to travel thither 
by land, and following the edge of the shore, I did so. 
But had any one in England been to meet such a man as I 
was, it must either have frightened him or raised a great 
deal of laughter ; and, as I frequently stood still to look at 
myself, I could not but smile at the notion of my travel- 
ling through Yorkshire with such an equipage, and in such 
a dress. I had a great, high, shapeless cap, made of goat’s- 
skin, with a flap hanging down behind, as well to keep the 
sun from me, as to shoot the rain off from running into 
my neck ; nothing being so hurtful in these climates as 
the rain upon the flesh under the clothes. I had a short 
jacket of goat’s-skin, the skirts coming down to about the 
middle of my thighs, and a pair of open-kneed breeches of 
the same. The breeches were made of the skin of an old 
he-goat, whose hair hung down such a length on either 
side, that, like pantaloons, it reached to the middle of my 


150 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


legs. Stockings and shoes I had none, but I made me a 
pair of something, I scarce know what to call them, like 
buskins, to flap oyer my legs, and lace on either side like 
spatterdashes ; 1 but of a most barbarous shape, as indeed 
were all the rest of my clothes. 

I had on a broad belt of goat’s-skin dried, which I drew 
together with two thongs of the same, instead of buckles ; 
and, in a kind of frog on either side of this, instead of a 
sword and dagger, hung a little saw and hatchet ; one on 
one side, one on the other. I had another belt not so broad, 
and fastened in the same manner, which hung over my 
shoulder ; and, at the end of it, under my left arm, hung 
two pouches, both made of goat’s-skin too ; in one of 
which hung my powder, in the other my shot. At my 
back I carried my basket, on my shoulder my gun, and 
over my head a great clumsy, ugly, goat’s-skin umbrella, 
but which, after all, was the most necessary thing I had 
about me, next to my gun. As for my face, the color of 
it was really not so Mulatto-like as one might expect from 
a man not at all careful of it, and living within nine or ten 
degrees of the equinox. My beard I had once suffered to 
grow till it was about a quarter of a yard long ; but, as I 
had both scissors and razors sufficient, I had cut it 
pretty short, except what grew on my upper lip, which I 
had trimmed into a large pair of Mahometan whiskers, 
such as I had seen worn by some Turks whom I saw at 
Sallee ; for the Moors did not wear such, though the Turks 
did. Of the mustachios, or whiskers, I will not say they 
were long enough to hang my hat upon them ; but they 
were of length and shape monstrous enough, and such as 
in England would have passed for frighful. 

1 Gaiters. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


151 


But all this is by-the-by ; for, as to my figure, I had so 
few to observe me that it was no manner of consequence, 
so I say no more to that part. In this kind of figure I 
went my new journey, and was out five or six days. I 
travelled first along the sea-shore, directly to the place 
where I first brought my boat to an anchor to get up upon 
the rocks. Having no boat now to take care of, I went 
over the land a nearer way to the same height that I was 
upon before ; when, looking forward to the point of the 
rock I was obliged to double with my boat, as I said 
above, I was surprised to see the sea all smooth and quiet ; 
no rippling, no motion, no current, any more there than in 
other places. 

I was at a strange loss to understand this, and resolved 
to spend some time in the observing of it, to see if nothing 
from the sets of the tide had occasioned it. But I was 
presently convinced how it was ; namely, that the tide of 
ebb setting from the west, and joining with the current of 
waters from some great river on the shore, must be the 
occasion of this current; and that, accordingly, as the 
wind blew more forcibly from the west, or from the north, 
this current came nearer, or went farther from the shore. 

This observation convinced me that I had nothing to 
do but to observe the ebbing and the flowing of the tide ; 
and I might very easily bring my boat about the island 
again. But when I began to think about putting it in 
practice, I had such terror upon my spirits at the remem- 
brance of the danger I had been in, that I could not. think 
of it again with any patience. On the contrary, I took 
up another resolution, which was more safe, though more 
laborious; and this was, that I could build, or rather 
make me another periagua, or canoe, and so have one for 
one side of the island, and one for the other. 


152 


LIFE AND ADVENTTJBES 


Yon are to understand that now I had, as I may call it, 
two plantations in the island ; one, my little fortification, 
or tent, with the wall about it under the rock, with the 
cave behind me, which, by this time, I had enlarged into 
several apartments, or caves, one within another. One of 
these, which was the driest and largest, was all filled up 
with large earthern pots, of which I have given an 
account, and with fourteen or fifteen great baskets, which 
would hold five or six bushels each, where I laid up my 
stores of provisions, especially my corn, some in the ear 
cut off short from the straw, and the other rubbed out 
with my hands. 

As for my wall, made as before, with long stakes or 
piles, those piles grew all like trees, and were by this 
time grown so big, and spread so very much, that there 
was not the least appearance, to any one’s view, of any 
habitation behind them. 

Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther within 
the land, and upon lower ground, lay my two pieces of 
corn ground, which I kept duly cultivated and sowed, and 
which duly yielded me their harvest in its season. When- 
ever I had occasion for more corn, I had more land 
adjoining as fit as that. 

Besides this, I had my country seat, and I had now a 
tolerable plantation there also. For, first, I had my little 
bower, as I called it, which I kept in repair ; that is to 
say, I kept the hedge which circled it in constantly fitted 
up to its usual height, the ladder standing always in the 
inside. I kept the trees, — which, at first, were no more 
than my stakes, but were now grown very firm and tall, — 
I kept them always so cut that they might spread and 
grow thick and wild, and make the more agreeable shade, 


OF B OB INS ON CBUSOE. 


153 


which they did effectually to my mind. In the middle of 
this I had my tent always standing, being a piece of sail 
spread oyer poles, set up for that purpose, and which 
never wanted any repair or renewing. Under this, I 
had made me a squab or couch, with the skins of the 
creatures I had killed, and with other soft things, and a 
blanket laid on them, such as belonged to our sea-bedding, 
which I had saved, and a great watch-coat to cover me. 
Here, whenever I had occasion to be absent from my chief 
seat, I took up my country habitation. 

Adjoining to this, I had my enclosures for my cattle ; 
that is to say, my goats. And, as I had taken an incon- 
ceivable deal of pains to fence and enclose this ground, I 
was so uneasy to see it kept entire, lest the goats should 
break through, that I never left off, till, with infinite labor, 
I had stuck the outside of the hedge so full of small 
stakes, and so near to one another, that it was rather a 
pale than a hedge; and there was scarce room to put a 
hand through between them. When those stakes grew, 
as they all did in the next rainy season, this made the 
enclosure strong like a wall; indeed, stronger than any 
wall. 

This will testify for me that I was not idle, and that I 
spared no pains to bring to pass whatever appeared nec- 
essary for my comfortable support. For I considered the 
keeping up a breed of tame creatures thus at my hand 
would be a living magazine of flesh, milk, butter, and 
cheese for me, as long as I lived in the place, if it were to 
be forty years ; and that keeping them in my reach 
depended entirely upon my perfecting my enclosures to 
such a degree that I might be sure of keeping them 
together. 


154 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


In this place, also, I had my grapes growing, which I 
principally depended on for my winter store of raisins, 
and which I never failed to preserve very carefully as the 
best and most agreeable dainty of my whole diet; and, 
indeed, they were not only agreeable, but physical, whole- 
some, nourishing, and refreshing to the last degree. 

As this was also about half way between my other 
habitation and the place where I had laid up my boat, I 
generally stayed and lay here in my way thither ; for I used 
frequently to visit my boat, and I kept all things about or 
belonging to her in very good order. Sometimes I went 
out in her to divert myself, but no more hazardous voyages 
would I go, nor scarce ever above a stone’s cast or two from 
the shore, I was so apprehensive of being hurried out of 
my knowledge again by the currents, or winds, or any other 
accident. But now I come to a new scene of my life. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


155 


CHAPTER XVI. 

I T happened one day about noon, going towards my 
boat, I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a 
man’s naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be 
seen in the sand. I stood like one thunderstruck, or as if 
I had seen an apparition. I listened; I looked around me. 
I could hear nothing, nor see anything. I went up to a 
rising ground to look farther. I went up the shore, and 
down the shore, but it was all one ; I could see no other 
impression but that one. I went to it again, to see if there 
were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy: 
but there was no room for that, for there was exactly the 
very print of a foot, toes, heel, and every part of a foot. 
How it came thither I knew not, nor could not in the least 
imagine. But after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like 
a man perfectly confused, and out of myself, I came home 
to my fortification, not feeling, as we say, the ground I 
went on, but terrified to the last degree, looking behind 
me at every two or three steps, mistaking every bush and 
tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to be a man. 
Nor is it possible to describe how many various shapes an 
affrighted imagination represented things to me in; how 
many wild ideas were formed every moment in my fancy, 
and what strange unaccountable whimsies came into my 
thoughts by the way. 

When I came to my castle, for so I think I called it 


156 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


ever after this, I fled into it like one pursued. Whether I 
went over by the ladder, as first contrived, or went in at 
the hole in the rock, which I called a door, I cannot re- 
member. No, nor could I remember the next morning ; 
for never frightened hare fled to cover, or fox to earth, 
with more terror of mind than I to this retreat. 

I had no sleep that night. The farther I was from the 
occasion of my fright the greater my apprehensions were ; 
which is something contrary to the nature of such things, 
and especially to the usual practice of all creatures in fear. 
But I was so embarrassed with my own frightful ideas of 
the thing, that I formed nothing but dismal imaginations 
to myself, even though I was now a great way from it. 

At last I concluded that it must be some more danger- 
ous creature ; namely, that it must be some of the savages 
of the main-land over against me, who had wandered out 
to sea in their canoes, and, either driven by the currents 
or by contrary winds, had made the island, and had been 
on shore, but were going away again to sea, being as loath, 
perhaps, to have stayed in this desolate island as I would 
have been to have had them. 

While these reflections were rolling upon my mind, I 
Avas very thankful in my thought that I was so happy as 
not to be thereabouts at that time, or that they did not 
see my boat, by which they would have concluded that 
some inhabitants had been in the place, and perhaps have 
searched farther for me. Then terrible thoughts racked 
my imaginations about their having found my boat, and 
that there were people here ; and that, if so, I should cer- 
tainly have them come again in great numbers, and de- 
vour me ; that if it should happen so that they should not 
find me, yet they would find my inclosure, destroy all my 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


157 


corn, carry awaj T all my flock of tame goats, and I should 
perish at last for mere want. 

Thus my fear banished all my religious hope. All that 
former confidence in God which was founded upon such 
wonderful experience as I had had of His goodness, now 
vanished ; as if He that had fed me by miracle hitherto, 
could not preserve by His power the provision which He 
had made for me by His goodness. I reproached myself 
with my easiness, that would not sow any more corn one 
year than would just serve me till the next season, as if no 
accident could intervene to prevent my enjoying the crop 
that was upon the ground. And this I thought so just a 
reproof, that I resolved for the future to have two or three 
years’ corn beforehand, so that whatever might come, I 
might not perish for want of bread. 

These thoughts took me up many hours, days, nay, I 
may say, weeks and months. One particular effect of my 
cogitations on this occasion I cannot omit. One morning 
early, lying in bed, and filled with thoughts about my 
danger from the appearance of savages, I found it dis- 
composed me very much ; upon which those words of the 
Scripture came into my thoughts, “ Call upon me in the 
day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me.” 

In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions, and 
reflections, it came into my thoughts one day, that all this 
might be a mere chimera of my own, and that this foot 
might be the print of my own foot when I came on shore 
from my boat. This cheered me up a little, too, and I 
began to persuade myself it was all a delusion ; that it 
was nothing else but my own foot. And why might not I 
come that way from the boat as well as I was going that 


158 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


way to the boat ? Again, I considered also that I could 
by no means tell for certain where I had trod, and where 
1 had not ; and that, if at last this was only the print of 
my own foot, I had played the part of those fools who 
strive to make stories of spectres and apparitions, and 
then are themselves frightened at- them more than any- 
body else. 

Now I began to take courage, and to peep abroad again. 
For 1 had not stirred out of my castle for three days and 
nights, so that I began to starve for provision ; for I had 
little or nothing within doors but some barley cakes and 
water. Then I knew that my goats wanted to be milked, 
too, which usually was my evening diversion ; and the poor 
creatures were in great pain and inconvenience for want 
of it. Indeed, it almost spoiled some of them, and almost 
dried up their milk. 

Heartening myself, therefore, with the belief that this 
was nothing but the print of one of my own feet (and so 
I might be truly said to start at my own shadow), I began 
to go abroad again, and went to my country-house to milk 
my flock. But to see with what fear I went forward, how 
often I looked behind me, how I was read}^, every now and 
then, to lay down my basket, and run for my life, it would 
have made any one have thought I was haunted with an 
evil conscience, or . that I had been lately most terribly 
frightened. So indeed I had. 

However, as I went down thus two or three days, and 
having seen nothing, I began to be a little bolder, and to 
think there was really nothing in it but my own imagina- 
tion. But I could not persuade myself fully of this till I 
should go down to the shore again, and see this print of a 
foot, and measure it by my own, and see if there was any 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


159 


similitude of fitness, that I might be assured it was my 
own foot. But when I came to the place first, it appeared 
evidently to me, that when I laid up my boat, I could not 
possibly be on shore anywhere thereabouts. Secondly, when 
I came to measure the mark with my own foot, I found my 
foot not so large by a great deal. Both these things filled 
my head with new imagination, and gave me the vapors 
again to the highest degree, so that I shook with cold like 
one in an ague, and I went home again, filled with the be- 
lief that some man or men had been on shore there ; or, 
in short, that the island was inhabited, and I might be 
surprised before I was aware. What course to take for 
my security I knew not. 

This confusion of my thoughts kept me waking all night. 
But in the morning I fell asleep, and having by the amuse- 
ment of my mind been, as it were, tired, and my spirits ex- 
hausted, I slept very soundly, and awaked much better 
composed than I had ever been before. And now I began 
to think sedately ; and, upon the utmost debate with my- 
self, I concluded that this island, which was so exceeding 
pleasant, fruitful, and no farther from the main-land than 
as I had seen, was not so entirely abandoned as I might 
imagine. That although there were no stated inhabitants 
who lived on the spot, yet that there might sometimes 
come boats off from the shore, which, either with design, 
or perhaps never but when they were driven by cross 
winds, might come to this place. 

That I had lived here fifteen years now, and I had not 
met with the least shadow or figure of any people before ; 
and that, if at any time they should be driven here, it was 
probable they went away again as soon as ever they could, 
seeing they had never thought fit to fix there upon any 
occasion to this time. 


160 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


That the most I could suggest any danger from was 
from any such casual accidental landing of straggling 
people from the main, who, as it was likely, if they were 
driven hither, were here against their wills ; so they made 
no stay here, but went off again with all possible speed, 
seldom staying one night on shore lest they should not 
have the help of the tides and daylight back again. And 
that, therefore, I had nothing to do but to consider of some 
safe retreat, in case I should see any savages land upon 
the spot. 

Now I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave 
so large as to bring a door through again, which door, as 
I said, came out beyond where my fortification joined to 
the rock. Upon maturely considering this, therefore, I 
resolved to draw me a second fortification, in the manner 
of a semicircle, at a distance from my wall, just where I 
planted a double row of trees about twelve years before, 
of which I made mention. These trees having been 
planted so thick before, there wanted but a few piles to 
be driven between them, that they should be thicker and 
stronger, and my wall would be finished. 

So I had now a double wall, and my outer wall was 
thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and every- 
thing I could think of to make it strong ; having in it 
seven holes about as big as I might put my arm out at. 
In the inside of this I thickened my wall to about ten feet 
thick, continually bringing earth out of my cave, and laying 
it at the foot of the wall, and walking upon it. Through 
the seven holes I contrived to plant muskets, of which 
I took notice that I got seven on shore out of the ship. 
These, I say, I planted like my cannon, and fitted them 
into frames that held them like a carriage, so that I could 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


161 


fire all the seven guns in two minutes’ time. This wall 
I was many a weary month in finishing, and yet never 
thought myself safe till it was done. 

When this was done, I stuck all the ground without my 
wall, for a great way every way, as full with stakes or sticks 
of the osier-like wood, which I found so apt to grow, as 
they could well stand ; insomuch that I believe I might 
set in near twenty thousand of them, leaving a pretty 
large space between them and my wall, that I might have 
room to see an enemy, and they might have no shelter 
from the young trees, if they attempted to approach my 
outer wall. 

Thus, in two years’ time I had a thick grove, and in 
five or six years’ time I had a wood before my dwelling, 
grown so monstrous thick and strong that it was, indeed, 
perfectly impassable ; and no man of what kind soever 
would ever imagine that there was anything beyond it, 
much less a habitation. As for the way I proposed myself 
to go in and out (for I left no avenue), it was by setting 
two ladders, one to a part of the rock which was low, and 
then broke in and left room to place another ladder upon 
that. So, when the two ladders were taken down, no 
man living could come down to me without mischiefing 
himself; and if they had come down, they were still on 
the outside of my outer wall. 

Thus I took all the measures human prudence could 
suggest for my own preservation ; and it will be seen, at 
length, that they were not altogether without just reason, 
though I foresaw nothing, at that time, more than my 
mere fear suggested. 

While this was doing, I was not altogether careless of 
my other affairs ; for I had a great concern upon me for 


162 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


my little herd of goats. They were not only a present 
supply to me upon every occasion, and began to be suffi- 
cient for me without the expense of powder and shot, but 
also abated the fatigue of my hunting after the wild ones. 
And I was loath to lose the advantage of them, and to 
have them all to nurse up over again. 

To this purpose, after long consideration, I could think 
but of two ways to preserve them. One was to find 
another convenient place to dig a cave under ground, and 
to drive them into it every night ; and the other was to 
enclose two or three little bits of land, remote from one 
another, and as much concealed as I could, where I might 
keep about half a dozen young goats in each place ; so 
that, if any disaster happened to the flock in general, I 
might be able to raise them again with little trouble and 
time. And this, though it would require a great deal of 
time and labor, I thought was the most rational design. 

Accordingly, I spent some time to find out the most 
retired parts of the island ; and I pitched upon one, which 
was as private, indeed, as my heart could wish. It was a 
little, damp piece of ground in the middle of the hollow 
and thick woods, where, as is observed, I almost lost 
myself once before, endeavoring to come back that way 
from the eastern part of the island. Here I found a clear 
piece of land, near three acres, so surrounded with Avoods 
that it Avas almost an enclosure by nature. At least, it 
did not Avant near so much labor to make it so as the 
other pieces of ground I had worked so hard at. 

I immediately Avent to work with this piece of ground ; 
and, in less than a month’s time, I had so fenced it round 
that my flock or herd (call it which you please), which 
were not so Avild now as at first they might be supposed 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


163 


to be, were well enough secured in it. So, without any 
farther delay, I removed ten she-goats and two he-goats to 
this piece. When there, I continued to perfect the fence 
till I made it as secure as the other; which, however, I 
did at more leisure, and it took me up more time by a 
great deal. 

All this labor I was at the expense of purely from my 
apprehensions on the account of the print of a man’s foot 
which I had seen. For as yet, I never saw any human 
creature come near the island ; and I had now lived two 
years under these uneasinesses, which, indeed, made my 
life much less comfortable than it was before, as may well 
be imagined by any who know what it is to live in the 
constant fear of man. 

But to go on. After I had thus secured one part 
of my little living stock, I went about the whole island 
searching for another private place to make such another 
deposit. When, wandering more to the west point of 
the island than I had ever, done yet, and looking out 
to sea, I thought I saw a boat upon the sea at a great 
distance. I had found a perspective glass or two in one 
of the seamen’s chests, which I saved out of our ship ; but 
I had it not about me. This object was so remote that I 
could not tell what to make of it, though I looked at it 
till my eyes were not able to look any longer. Whether 
it was a boat, or not, I do not know ; but, as I descended 
from the hill I could see no more of it, so I gave it over, 
only I resolved to go no more without a perspective glass 
in my pocket. 

When I was come down the hill, to the end of the 
island, where, indeed, I had never been before, I was pres- 
ently convinced that the seeing of the print of a man’s foot 


164 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


was not such a strange thing in the island as I imagined ; 
and, but that it was a special providence that I was cast 
upon the side of the island where the savages never came, 
I should easily have known that nothing was more fre- 
quent than for the canoes from the main, when they 
happened to be a little too far out at sea, to shoot over to 
that side of the island for harbor. Likewise, as they often 
met and fought in their canoes', the victors, having taken 
any prisoners, would bring them over to this shore ; where, 
according to their dreadful customs, being all cannibals, 
they would kill and eat them ; of which hereafter. 

When I was come down the hill to the shore, as I said 
above, being the S. W. point of the island, I was perfectly 
confounded and amazed. Nor is it possible for me to 
express the horror of my mind at seeing the shore spread 
with skulls, hands, feet, and other bones of human bodies. 
And particularly I observed a place where there had been 
a fire made, and a circle dug in the earth, like a cock-pit, 
where it is supposed the savage wretches had sat down 
to their inhuman feastings upon the bodies of their fellow- 
creatures. 

I was so astonished with the sight of these things that 
I entertained no notions of any danger to myself from it 
for a long while. All my apprehensions were buried in 
the thoughts of such a pitch of inhuman brutality, and 
the horror of the degeneracy of human nature ; which, 
though I had heard of often, yet I never had so near a 
view of before. In short, I turned away my face from the 
horrid spectacle. My stomach grew sick, and I was just 
at the point of fainting, when nature discharged the dis- 
order from my stomach; and, having vomited with an 
uiacommon violence, I was a little relieved, but could not 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


165 


bear to stay in the pla.ce a moment. So I got me up the 
hill again with all the speed I could, and walked on tow- 
ards my own habitation. 

When I came a little out of that part of the island, I 
stood still awhile as amazed. Then, recovering myself, I 
looked up with the utmost affection of my soul, and, with 
a flood of tears in my eyes, gave God thanks that He had 
cast my first lot in a part of the world where I was dis- 
tinguished from such dreadful creatures as these. And, 
though I had esteemed my present condition very miser- 
able, yet He had given me so many comforts in it, that I 
had still more to give thanks for, than to complain of. 
This above all, that I had, even in this miserable condition, 
been comforted with the knowledge of Himself, and the 
hope of His blessing, which was a felicity more than 
sufficiently equivalent to all the misery which I had suf- 
fered, or could suffer. 

In this frame of thankfulness I went home to my castle, 
and began to be much easier now, as to the safety of my 
circumstances, than ever I was before. For I observed 
that these wretches never came to this island in search of 
what they could get ; perhaps not seeking nor wanting, 
or not expecting anything here ; and having often, no 
doubt, been up in the covered, woody part of it without 
finding anything to their purpose. I knew I had been 
here now almost eighteen years, and never saw the least 
footsteps of a human creature there before ; and might be 
here eighteen years more as entirely concealed as I was 
now, if I did not discover myself to them, which I had no 
manner of occasion to do, it being my only business to 
keep myself entirely concealed where I was, unless I found 
a better sort of creatures than cannibals to make myself 
known to. 


166 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


Yet I entertained such an abhorrence of the savage 
wretches that I have been speaking of, and of the wretch- 
ed, inhuman custom of their devouring and eating one 
another up, that I continued pensive and sad, and kept 
close within my own circle for almost two years after this. 
When I say my own circle, I mean by it my three planta- 
tions ; namely, my castle, my country-seat, which I called 
my bower, and my enclosure in the woods. Nor did I 
look after this for any other use than as an enclosure for 
my goats. For the aversion which nature gave me to 
these inhuman wretches was such, that I was as fearful of 
seeing them as of seeing the devil himself. Nor did I so 
much as go to look after my boat in all this time, but - 
began rather to think of never making any more attempts 
to bring the other boat round the island to me, lest I 
should meet with some of these creatures at sea, in which, 
if I had happened to have fallen into their hands, I knew 
what would have been my lot. 

Time, however, and the satisfaction I had that I was in 
no danger of being discovered by these people, began to 
wear off my uneasiness about them ; and I began to live 
just in the same composed manner as before, only with 
this difference, that I used more caution, and kept my 
eyes more about me than I did before, lest I should happen 
to be seen by any of them. And particularly, I was more 
cautious of firing my gun, lest any of them being on the 
island should happen to hear it. It was, therefore, a very 
good providence to me, that I had furnished myself with a 
tame breed of goats, that I had no need to hunt any more 
about the woods, or shoot at them. If I did catch any more 
of them after this, it was with traps and snares, as I had 
done before. So that for two years after this, I believe I 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


167 


never fired my gun once off, though I never went out 
without it; and, which was more, as I had saved three 
pistols out of the ship, I always carried them out with me, 
or, at least, two of them, sticking them in my goat-skin 
belt. I likewise furbished up one of the great cutlasses 
that I had out of the ship, and made me a belt to put it 
in, also ; so that I was now a most formidable fellow to 
look at when I went abroad, if you add to the former 
description of myself the particular of two pistols, and a 
great broadsword hanging at my side in a belt, but with- 
out a scabbard. 


168 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


CHAPTER XVII. 


HINGS going on thus, as I have said, for some time, I 



± seemed, excepting these cautions, to be reduced to my 
former calm, sedate way of living. All these things tended 
to show me more and more how far my condition was 
from being miserable, compared to some others; nay, to 
many other particulars of life, which it might have pleased 
God to have made my lot. It put me upon reflecting 
how little repining there would be among mankind, at 
any condition of life, if people would rather compare their 
condition with those that are worse, in order to be thank- 
ful, than be always comparing them with those which are 
better, to assist their murmurings and complainings. 

As in my present condition there were not really many 
things which I wanted, so, indeed, I thought the frights I 
had been in about these savage wretches, and the concern 
I had been in for my own preservation, had taken off the 
edge of my invention for my own conveniences. And I had 
dropt a good design, which I had once bent my thoughts 
upon. That was, to try if I could not make some of 
my barley into malt, and then try to brew myself some 
beer. This was really a whimsical thought, and I reproved 
myself often for the simplicity of it. For I presently saw 
there would be the want of several things necessary to 
the making of my beer, that it would be impossible for me 
to supply. As, first, casks to preserve it in, which was a 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


169 


thing that, as I have observed already, I could never com- 
pass ; no, though I spent, not many days, but weeks, nay 
months, in attempting it, hut to no purpose. In the next 
place, I had no hops to make it keep, no yeast to make it 
work, no copper or kettle to make it boil. And yet, had 
not all these things intervened, I mean the frights and 
terrors I was in about the savages, I had undertaken it, 
and perhaps brought it to pass, too ; for I seldom gave 
anything over without accomplishing it, when I once had 
it in my head enough to begin it. 

But my invention now ran quite another way. For, 
night and day, I could think of nothing but how I might 
destroy some of these monsters in their cruel, bloody 
entertainment, and, if possible, save the victim they should 
bring hither to destroy. It would take up a larger volume 
than this whole work is intended to be to set down all the 
contrivances I hatched, or rather brooded upon in my 
thoughts, for the destroying of these creatures, or, at least, 
frightening them, so as to prevent their coming hither any 
more ; hut all was abortive. Nothing could be possible to 
take effect unless I was to he there to do it myself. And 
what could one man do among them, when, perhaps there 
might be twenty or thirty of them together, with their 
darts, or their bows and arrows, with which they could 
shoot as true to a mark as I could Avith my gun ? 

Sometimes I contrived to dig a hole under the place 
Avhere they made their fire, and put in five or six pounds 
of gunpoAvder, A\ r hich, when they kindled their fire, would 
consequently take fire, and bloAV up all that Avas near it. 
But, as in the first place, I should be very loath to Avaste 
so much powder upon them, my store being now within 
the quantity of a barrel, so neither could I be sure of its 


170 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


going off at any certain time when it might surprise them ; 
and, at best, that it would do but little more than just 
blow the fire about their ears and fright them, but not 
sufficient to make them forsake the place. So I laid it 
aside, and then proposed that I would place myself in 
ambush, in some convenient place, with my three guns all 
double-loaded, and in the middle of their bloody ceremony 
let fly at them, when I should be sure to kill or wound 
perhaps two or three at every shot ; and then, falling in 
upon them with my three pistols and my sword, I made 
no doubt but that, if there were twenty, I should kill 
them all. This fancy pleased my thoughts for some weeks, 
and I was so full of it that I often dreamt of it, and some- 
times, that I was just going to let fly at them in my sleep. 

I went so far with it in my indignation, that I employed 
myself several days to find out proper places to put myself 
in ambuscade, as I said, to watch for them. And I went 
frequently to the place itself, which was now grown more 
familiar to me ; and especially while my mind was thus 
filled with thoughts of revenge, and of a bloody putting 
twenty or thirty of them to the sword, as I may call it. 
But the horror I had at the place, and at the signals of 
the barbarous wretches devouring ene another, abated 
my malice. 

Well, at length I found a place in the side of the hill, 
where I was satisfied I might securely wait till I saw any 
of the boats coming, and might then, even before they 
would be ready to come on shore, convey myself unseen 
into thickets of trees, in one of which there was a hollow 
large enough to conceal me entirely. There I might 
sit and observe all their bloody doings, and take my full 
aim at their heads, when they were so close* together that 


‘ OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


171 


it would be next to impossible that I should miss my shoot, 
or that I could fail wounding three or four of them at the 
first shoot. 

In this place, then, I resolved to fix my design ; and ac- 
cordingly I prepared two muskets and my ordinary fowling- 
piece. The two muskets I loaded with a brace of slugs 
each, and four or five smaller bullets, about the size of 
pistol-bullets, and the fowling-piece I loaded with near a 
handful of swan-shot of the largest size. I also loaded my 
pistols with about four bullets each. In this posture, 
well provided with ammunition for a second and third 
charge, I prepared myself for my expedition. 

After I had thus laid the scheme for my design, and in 
my imagination put it in practice, I continually made my 
tour every morning up to the top of the hill, which was 
from my castle, as I called it, about three miles or more, 
to see if I could observe any boats upon the sea coming 
near the island, or standing over towards it. But I began 
to tire of this hard duty after I had for two or three 
months constantly kept my watch ; but came always back 
without any discovery, there having not in all that time 
been the least appearance, not only on or near the shore, 
but not on the whole ocean, so far as my eyes or glasses 
could reach every way. 

I went and removed my boat, which I had on the other 
side the island, and carried it down to the east end of the 
whole island, where I ran it into a little cove which I 
found under some high rocks, and where I knew, by 
reason of the currents, the savages durst not, at least 
would not, come with their boats, upon any account 
whatsoever. 

With my boat I carried away everything that I had left 


172 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


there belonging to her, though not necessary for the bare 
going thither ; namely, a mast and sail, which I had made 
for her, and a thing like an anchor; but, indeed, which 
could not be called either anchor or grappling. However, 
it was the best I could make of its kind. All these I 
removed, that there might not be the least shadow of any 
discovery, or any appearance of any boat, or of any habi- 
tation upon the island. 

Besides this, I kept myself, as I said, more retired than 
ever, and seldom went from my cell other than upon my 
constant employment ; namely, to milk my she-goats, and 
manage my little flock in the wood, which, as it was quite 
on the other part of the island, was quite out of danger. 
For, certain it is, that these savage people, who sometimes 
haunted this island, never came with any thoughts of find- 
ing anything here, and consequently never wandered off 
from the coast ; and I doubt not but they might have been 
several times on shore after my apprehensions of them 
had made me cautious, as well as before. Indeed, I looked 
back with some horror upon the thoughts of what my 
condition would have been if I had chopped 1 upon them, 
and been discovered when naked and unarmed, except 
with my gun, and that loaded often only with small shot. 
I walked everywhere peeping and peeping about the island, 
to see what I could get. What a surprise should I have 
been in, if, when I discovered the print of a man’s foot, 
I had, instead of that, seen fifteen or twenty savages, 
and found them pursuing me ; and, by the swiftness of 
their running, no possibility of my escaping them ! 

The thoughts of this sometimes sunk my very soul within 

1 Chop is an old English word, now out of use, and means to come 
suddenly upon anything. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


1T3 


me, and distressed my mind so much, that I could not soon 
recover it. I confess that these -anxieties, these constant 
dangers I lived in, and the concern that was now upon me, 
put an end to all invention, and to all the contrivances 
that I had laid for my future accommodations and conven- 
iences. I had the care of . my safety more now upon my 
hands than that of my food. I cared not to drive a nail, 
or chop a stick of wood now, for fear the noise I should 
make should be heard. Much less would I fire a gun, for 
the same reason. And above all, I was intolerably uneasy 
at making any fire, lest the smoke, which is visible at a 
great distance in the day, should betray me. For this rea- 
son I removed that part of my business which required 
fire, such as burning of pots and pipes, etc., into my new 
apartment in the woods. After I had been some time 
here, I found, to my unspeakable consolation, a mere nat- 
ural cave in the earth, which went in a vast way, and 
where, I dare say, no savage, had he been at the mouth of 
it, would be so hardy as to venture in, nor indeed would 
any man else, but one who, like me, wanted nothing so 
much as a safe retreat. 

The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of a great 
rock, where, by mere accident (I would say, if I did not 
see an abundant reason to ascribe all such things now to 
Providence), I was cutting down some thick branches 
of trees to make charcoal ; and before I go on, I must 
observe the reason of my making this charcoal, which 
was thus : — 

I was afraid of making a smoke about my habitation, as 
I said before; and yet I could not live there without 
baking my bread, cooking my meat, etc. So I contrived to 
burn some wood here, as I had seen done in England, un- 


174 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


der turf, till it became chark, or dry coal ; and then putting 
the fire out, I preserved the coal to carry home, and per- 
form the other services which fire was wanting for at home, 
without danger of smoke. 

But this is by-the-by. While I was cutting down some 
wood here, I perceived that behind a very thick branch of 
low brushwood, or underwood, there was a kind of hollow 
place. I was curious to look into it, and getting with dif- 
ficulty into the mouth of it, I found it was pretty large, 
that is to say, sufficient for me to stand upright in it, and 
perhaps another with me. But I must confess to you, I 
made more haste out than I did in, when, looking farther 
into the place, which was perfectly dark, I saw two broad, 
shining eyes of some creature, whether devil or man I 
knew not, which twinkled like two stars, the dim light 
from the cave’s mouth shining directly in, and making the 
reflection. 

However, after some pause, I recovered myself, and be- 
gan to call myself a thousand fools, and tell myself that 
he that was afraid to see the devil, was not fit to live 
twenty years in an island all alone, and that I durst to be- 
lieve there was nothing in this cave that was more fright- 
ful than myself. Upon this, plucking up my courage, I 
took up a great firebrand, and in I rushed again, with the 
stick flaming in my hand. I had not gone three steps in, 
but I was almost as much frightened as I was before ; for 
I heard a very loud sigh, like that of a man in some pain. 
This was followed by a broken noise, as if of words half- 
expressed, and then a deep sigh again. I stepped back, 
and was indeed struck with such a surprise, that it put me 
into a cold sweat ; and if I had had a hat on my head, 
I will not answer for it that my hair might not have lifted 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


175 


it off. But still, plucking up my spirits as well as I could, 
and encouraging myself a little, with considering that the 
power and presence of God was everywhere, and was 
able to protect me, 'I stepped forward again. By the light 
of the firebrand, holding it up a little over my head, I saw 
lying on the ground a frightful, old he-goat, gasping for 
life, and d}dng indeed of mere old age. 

I stirred him a little to see if I could get him out. He 
* essayed to get up, but was not able to raise himself. I 
thought with myself, he might even lie there ; for he had 
frightened me so, he would certainly fright any of the 
savages, if any of them should be so hardy as to come in 
there, while he had any life in him. 

I was now recovered from my surprise, and began to 
look round me, when I found the cave was but very small ; 
that is to say, it might be about twelve feet over, but in 
no manner of shape, either round or square, no hands ever 
having been employed in making it but those of mere na- 
ture. I observed also, that there was a place at the far- 
ther side of it that went in farther, but was so low, that it 
required me to creep upon my hands and knees to go into 
it, and whither I went I know not. Having no candle, I 
gave it over for some time, but resolved to come again the 
next day, provided with candles and a tinder-box, which I 
had made of the lock of one of the muskets, with some 
wild-fire 1 in the pan. 

Accordingly, the next day, I came provided with six 
large candles of my own making (for I made very good 
candles now of goat’s tallow) ; and going into this low 
place, I was obliged to creep upon all fours, as' I have said, 

1 An inflammable material, capable of burning for a long time, and 
hard to extinguish. It was also called “ Greek fire.” 


176 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


almost ten yards ; which, by the way, I thought was a 
venture bold enough, considering that I knew not how far 
it might go, nor what was beyond it. When I was got 
through the strait, I found the roof rose higher .up, I believe 
nearly twenty feet. Never was such a glorious sight seen 
in the island, I dare say, as it was to look round the side 
and roof of this vault or cave. The walls reflected an 
hundred thousand lights to me from my two candles. 
What it was in the rock, whether diamonds, or any other ■ 
precious stones, or gold, which I rather supposed it to be, I 
knew not. 

The place I was in was a most delightful cavity, or 
grotto, of its kind, as could be expected, though perfectly 
dark. The floor was dry and level, and had a sort of small, 
loose gravel upon it ; so that there was no nauseous or 
venomous creature to be seen, neither was there any damp 
or wet on the sides or roof. The only difficulty in it was 
the entrance, which, however, as it was a place of security, 
and such a retreat as I wanted, I thought that was a con- 
venience. I was really rejoiced at the discovery, and re- 
solved, without any delay, to bring some of those things 
which I was most anxious about to this place. Particu- 
larly, I resolved to bring hither my magazine of powder, 
and all my spare arms ; namely, two fowling-pieces (for I 
had three in all) and three muskets (for of them I had 
eight in all). So I kept at my castle only five, which 
stood ready mounted, like pieces of cannon, on my out- 
most fence, and were ready also to take out upon any ex- 
pedition. 

Upon this occasion of removing my ammunition, I took 
occasion to open the barrel of powder which I took up 
out of the sea, and which had been wet. I found that the 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


177 


water had penetrated about three or four inches into the 
powder on every side, which, caking and growing hard, 
had preserved the inside like a kernel in a shell ; so that 
I had nearly sixty pounds of very good powder in the 
centre of the cask. This was an agreeable discovery to 
me at that time. I carried all away thither, never keep- 
ing above two or three pounds of powder with me in my 
castle, for fear of a surprise of any kind. I also carried 
thither all the lead I had left for bullets. 

I fancied myself now like one of the ancient giants, 
who are said to live in caves and holes in the rocks, 
where none could come at them. For I persuaded myself 
while I was here, if five hundred savages were to hunt me, 
they could never find me out ; or if they did, they would 
not venture to attack me here. 

The old goat whom I found expiring, died in the mouth 
of the cave the next day after I made this discovery. I 
found it much easier to dig a great hole there, and throw 
him in, and cover him with earth, than to drag him out. 
So I interred him there. 

I was now in my twenty-third year of residence in this 
island, and was so naturalized to the place and to the 
manner of living, that, could I have but enjoyed the 
certainty that no savages would come to the place to dis- 
turb me, I could have been content to have capitulated 
for spending the rest of my time there, even to the last 
moment, till I had laid me down and died, like the old 
goat in the cave. I had also arrived to some little diver- 
sions and amusements, which made the time pass more 
pleasantly with me, a great deal, than it did before. First, 
I had taught my Poll, as I noted before, to speak. This 
he did so familiarly, and talked so articulately and plain. 


178 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


that it was very pleasant to me. He lived with me no 
less than six and twenty years. How long he might 
live afterwards, I know not ; though I know they have a 
notion in the Brazils that they live a hundred years. Per- 
haps poor Poll may be alive there still, calling after poor 
Robin Crusoe to this day. My dog was a very pleasant 
and loving companion to me for no less than sixteen 
years of my time, and then died of mere old age. As 
for my cats, they multiplied to that degree, that I was 
obliged to shoot several of them at first, to keep them from 
devouring me and all I had. But, at length, when the two 
old ones I brought with me were gone, and after some 
time continually driving them from me, and letting them 
have no provision with me, they all ran wild into the 
woods, except two or three favorites, which I kept tame, 
and whose young, when they had any, I always drowned, 
and these were part of my family. Besides these, I always 
kept two or three household kids about me, which I taught 
to feed out of my hand. I had also more parrots which 
talked pretty well, and would all call Robin Crusoe, 
but none like my first ; nor, indeed, did I take the pains 
with any of them that I had done with him. I had also 
several tame sea-fowls, whose names I know not, which 
I caught upon the shore, and cut their wings. The little 
stakes which I had planted before my castle wall, being 
now grown up to a good, thick grove, these fowls all lived 
among these low trees, and bred there, which was very 
agreeable to me, so that, as I said above, I began to be 
very well contented with the life I led, if it might but 
have been secured from the dread of the savages. 

But it was otherwise directed ; and it may not be amiss 
for all people who shall meet with my story, to make this 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


1T9 


just observation from it ; namely, bow frequently, in the 
course of our lives, the evil which, in itself, we seek most 
to shun, and which, when we are fallen into, is the most 
dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very means or door of 
our deliverance, by which alone we can be raised again 
from the affliction we are fallen into. I could give many 
examples of this in the course of my unaccountable life ; 
but in nothing was it more particularly remarkable than 
in the circumstances of my last two years of solitary resi- 
dence in this island. 


180 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


T was now the month of December, as I said above, in 



A my twenty-third year; and this being the southern 
solstice, for winter I cannot call it, was the particular time 
of my harvest, and required my being pretty much abroad 
in the fields. Going out pretty early in the morning, even 
before it was thorough daylight, I was surprised with see- 
ing a light of some fire upon the shore, at a distance from 
me of about two miles, towards the end of the island, 
where I had observed some savages had been before ; not 
on the other side, hut, to my great affliction, it was on my 
side of the island. 

I was, indeed, terribly surprised at the sight, and stop- 
ped short within my grove, not daring to go out, lest I 
might be surprised. Yet I had no more peace within, 
from the apprehensions I had that, if these savages, in ram- 
bling over the island, should find my corn standing or cut, 
or any of my works and improvements, they would imme- 
diately conclude that there were people in the place, and 
would then never give over till they had found me out. In 
this extremity, I went back directly to my castle, pulled 
up the ladder after me, having made all things without 
look as wild and natural as I could. 

Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in a 
posture of defence. I loaded all my cannon, as I called 
them, that is to say, my muskets, which were mounted 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE . 


181 


upon my new fortification, and all my pistols, and resolved 
to defend myself to the last gasp. Nor did I forget seri- 
ously to commend myself to the divine protection, and 
earnestly to pray to God to deliver me out of the hands of 
the barbarians. In this posture I continued about two 
hours, but began to be very impatient for intelligence 
abroad, for I had no spies to send out. 

After sitting awhile longer, and musing what I should 
do in this case, I was not able to bear sitting in ignorance 
longer. So, setting up my ladder to the side of the hill 
where there was a flat place, as I observed before, and 
then pulling the ladder up after me, I set it up again, 
and mounted to the top of the hill. Pulling out my per- 
spective glass, which I had taken on purpose, I laid me 
down flat on the grouncj, and began to look for the place. 
I presently found there were no less than nine naked sav- 
ages sitting round a small fire they had made ; not to 
warm them, for they had no heed of that, the weather 
being extremely hot ; but, as I supposed, to dress some of 
their barbarous diet of human flesh, which they had 
brought with them, whether alive or dead, I could not 
know. 

They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled 
up upon the shore ; and, as it was then tide of ebb, they 
seemed to me to wait for the return of the flood to go away 
again. It is not easy to imagine what confusion this sight 
put me into, especially seeing them come on my side the 
island, and so near me too. But, when I observed their 
coming must be always with the current of the ebb, I be- 
gan afterwards to be more sedate in my mind, being satis- 
fied that I might go abroad with safety all the time of the 
tide of flood, if they were not on shore before. Having 


182 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


made this observation, I went abroad about my harvest 
work with more composure. 

As I expected, so it proved; for, as soon as the tide 
made to the westward, I saw them all take boat, and row 
(or paddle, as we call it) all away. I should have observed, 
that for an hour and more before they went off, they went 
to dancing, and I could easily discern their postures and 
gestures by my glasses. 

As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took two 
guns upon my shoulders, and two pistols at my girdle, and 
my great sword by my side, without a .scabbard ; and with 
all the speed I was able to make, I went away to the hill, 
where I had discovered the first appearance of all. As 
soon as I got thither, which was not less than two hours 
(for I could not go apace, being so loaded with arms as 
I was), I perceived there had been three canoes more of 
savages on that place ; and looking out farther, I saw they 
were all at sea together, making over for the main. 

This was a dreadful sight to me, especially when, going 
down to the shore, I could see the marks of horror which 
the dismal work tfiey had been about had left behind it ; 
namely, the blood, the bones, and part of the flesh of hu- 
man bodies, eaten and devoured by those wretches with 
' merriment and sport. I was so filled with indignation at 
the sight, that I began now to premeditate the destruction 
of the next that I saw there, let them be who or how many 
soever. 

It seemed evident to me that the visits which they thus 
made to this island were not very frequent; for it was 
above fifteen months before any more of them came on 
shore there again, that is to say, I never saw them, or any 
footsteps or signals of them in all that time. And I found 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


188 


they did not come in the rainy season. Yet all this while 
I lived uncomfortably, by reason of the constant appre- 
hensions I was in of their coming upon me by surprise. 

One night, in the rainy season, in March, the four-and- 
twentieth year of my first setting foot in this land of soli- 
tariness, I had the following dream. As I was going out 
in the morning, as usual, from my castle, I saw upon the 
shore two canoes, and eleven savages coming to land, and 
that they brought with them another savage, whom they 
were going to kill, in order to eat him; when, on a 
sudden, the savage that they were going to kill made his 
escape, and ran for his life. Then I thought, in my sleep, 
that he came running into my little grove, before my 
fortification, to hide himself. I, seeing him, and not per- 
ceiving that the others sought him that way, showed 
myself to him, and encouraged liinp He kneeled down 
to me, seeming to pray to me to assist him. Upon this I 
showed him my ladder, made him go up, and carried 
him into my cave, and he became my servant. As soon 
as I had got this man, I said to myself, “Now I may 
venture to the main-land, for this fellow will serve me 
as a pilot, and tell me what to do, and whither to go 
for provisions, and whither not to go for fear of being 
devoured ; what places to venture into, and what to 
escape.” I awoke with this thought, and was under 
such inexpressible impressions of joy at the prospect 
of my escape in my dream, that the disappointment I 
felt upon coming to myself, and finding it was no more 
than a dream, was really extravagant the other way, and 
threw me into a very great dejection of spirits. 

Upon this, however,* I made this conclusion: that my 
only way to go about an attempt for m escape, was to try 


184 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


to get a savage in my possession ; and, if possible, it 
should be one of their prisoners, whom they had con- 
demned to be eaten, and should bring hither to kill. 

. With these resolutions in my thoughts, I set myself 
upon the scout, as often as possible ; and indeed, so often 
till I was heartily tired of it. I was not, at first, more 
careful to shun the sight of these savages, and avoid being 
seeii by them, than I was now eager to be upon them. 

Besides, I fancied myself able to manage one, nay, two 
or three savages, if I had them, so as to make them 
entirely slaves to me, to do what I should direct them, 
and to prevent their being able, at any time* to do me any 
hurt. It was a great while that I pleased myself with 
this affair; but nothing still presented. All my fancies 
and schemes came to nothing, for no savages came near 
me for a great while. . 

About a year and a half after I had entertained these 
notions, and by long musing had, as it were, resolved to 
put them into execution, I was surprised one morning 
early with seeing no less than five canoes all on shore 
together, on my side of the island, and the people who 
belonged to them all landed. The number of them broke 
all my measures ; for, seeing so many, and knowing that 
they always came four, or sometimes more, in a boat, I 
could not tell what to think of it, or how to take my 
measures to attack twenty or thirty men single-handed ;• 
so I lay still in my castle, perplexed and discomforted. 
However, I put myself into all the same postures for an 
attack that I had formerly provided, and was just ready 
for action, if anything had presented. Having waited a 
good while, listening to hear if they made any noise, at 
length, being very impatient, I set my guns at the foot of 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


185 


my ladder, and clambered np to the top of the hill by my 
two stages, as usual ; standing so, however, that my head 
did not appear above the hill, so that they could not 
perceive me by any means. I here observed, by the help 
of my perspective glass, that they were no less than thirty 
in number, that they had a fire kindled, and that they had 
meat dressed. How they cooked it, that I knew not, or 
what it was. But they were all dancing, in I know hot 
how many barbarous gestures and figures, round the fire. 

While I was thus looking on them, I perceived, by my 
perspective glass, two miserable wretches dragged from 
the boats, where, it seems, they were laid by, and were 
now brought out for the slaughter. I perceived one of 
them immediately fall, being knocked down, I suppose, 
with a club, or wooden sword, for that was their way; 
and two or three others were at work, cutting him open 
for their cookery, while the other victim was left standing 
by himself till they should be ready for him. In that very 
moment, the poor wretch, seeing himself a little at liberty, 
nature inspired him with hopes of life, and he started 
away from them, and ran with incredible swiftness along 
the sands, directly towards me ; I mean, towards that part 
of the coast where my habitation was. 

I was dreadfully frightened (that I must acknowledge) 
when I perceived him to run my way; and especially 
when, as I thought, I saw him pursued by the whole body. 
I expected that part of my dream was coming to pass, and 
he would take shelter in my grove. But I could not 
depend, by any means, upon my dreams for the rest of it ; 
namely, that the savages would not pursue him thither, 
and find him there. However, I kept my station, and my 
spirits began to recover when I found that there were not 


186 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


above three men that followed him; and still more was 
I encouraged, when I found that he outstripped them 
exceedingly in running, and gained ground of them, so 
that if he could but hold out for half an hour, I saw he 
would fairly get away from them all. 

There was, between them and my castle, the creek, 
which I mentioned often at the first part of my story, 
when I landed my cargoes out of the ship. This I knew 
he must necessarily swim over, or the poor wretch would 
be taken there. But when the savage, who was escaping, 
came thither, he made nothing of it, though the tide was 
then up ; but, plunging in, he swam through it in about 
thirty strokes or thereabouts, landed, and ran on with 
exceeding strength and swiftness. When the three pur- 
suers came to the creek, I found that two of them could 
swim, but the third could not; and that he, standing on 
the other side, looked at the others, but went no farther, 
and soon after went softly back again ; which, as it hap- 
pened, was very well for him. 

I observed that the two who swam were yet twice as 
long swimming over the creek as the fellow was that fled 
from them. It came now very warmly upon my thoughts, 
that now was my time to get me a servant, and perhaps a 
•companion or assistant, and that I was called plainly by 
Providence to save this poor creature’s life. I immedi- 
ately got down the ladders, fetched my two guns, for they 
were both at the foot of the ladders, and getting up again 
with the same haste to the top of the hill, I crossed towards 
the sea. Having a very short cut, and all down hill, I 
clapped myself in the way between the pursuers and the 
pursued, hallooing aloud to him -that fled, who, looking 
back, was at first as much frightened at me as at them. But 


OF BOB INS ON CBUSOE. 


18 T 


I beckoned with my hand to him to come back, and, in 
the mean time, I slowly advanced towards the two that 
followed. Then, rushing at once upon the foremost, I 
knocked him down with the stock of my piece. I was 
loath to fire, because I would not have the rest to hear, 
though at that distance it would not have been easily 
heard, and, being out of sight of the smoke, too, they would 
not have known what to make of it. Having knocked 
this fellow down, the other who followed him stopped, as 
if he had been frightened, and I advanced apace towards 
him. But, as I came nearer, I perceived .presently he had 
a bow and arrow, and was fitting it to shoot at me, so I 
was then necessitated to shoot at him first, which I did, 
and killed him at the first shot. The poor savage who 
fled, but -had stopped, though he saw both his enemies 
fallen, and killed (as he thought), yet was so frightened 
with the noise and fire of my piece, that he stood stock- 
still, and neither came forward nor went backward, though 
he seemed rather inclined to fly than to come on. I 
hallooed again to him, and made signs to him to come for- 
ward, which he easily understood, and came a little way,' 
then stopped again, and then a little farther, and stopped 
again. Then he stood trembling, as if he had been taken 
prisoner, and had just been to be killed, as his two 
enemies were. I beckoned to him again to come to me, 
and gave him all the signs of encouragement that I could 
think of. He came nearer and nearer, kneeling down 
every ten or twelve steps, in token of acknowledgment for 
saving his life. I smiled at him, and looked pleasantly, 
and beckoned to him to come still nearer. At length lie 
came close to me. Then he kneeled down again, kissed the 
ground, and, taking my foot, set it upon his head. This, 


188 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


it seems, was in token of swearing to be my slave forever. 
I took him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him 
all I could. But I perceived the savage whom I knocked 
down was not killed, but stunned with the blow, and began 
to come to himself. So I pointed to him, showing him the 
savage, that he was not dead. Upon this, he spoke some 
words to me, and though I could not understand them, 
yet I thought they were pleasant to hear, for they were 
the first sound of a man’s voice that I had heard, my own 
excepted, for above five-and-twenty years. But there was 
no time for such reflections now. The savage who was 
knocked down recovered himself so far as to sit upon the 
ground, and I perceived that my savage began to be afraid. 
When I saw that, I presented my other piece at the man, 
as if I would shoot him. Upon this, my savage, for so I 
call him now, made a motion to me to lend him my sword, 
which hung naked in a belt by my side ; so I did. He no 
sooner had it than he ran to his enemy, and, at one blow, 
cut off his head so cleverly, no executioner in Germany 
could have done it sooner or better ; which I thought very 
strange for one who, I had reason to believe, never saw a 
sword in his life before, except their own wooden swords. 
However, it seems, as I learned afterwards, they make their 
wooden swords so sharp, so heavy, and the wood is so hard, 
that they will cut off heads and arms with them, and at 
one blow too. When he had done this, he came laughing 
to me in sign of triumph, and brought me the sword again, 
and laid it down, with the head of the savage he had killed, 
just before me. 

He was astonished how I had killed the other Indian 
so far off. Going to him, he stood like one amazed, look- 
ing at him, turning him, first on one side, then on the 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


189 


other ; looking at the wound that the bullet had made, 
which was in the breast, where it had made a hole, and no 
great quantity of blood had followed, but he had bled in- 
wardly, for he was quite dead. Then he took up his bows 
and arrows, and came back, and I beckoned for us to go 
away, making signs that more might come after them. 
Upon this, he signed to me that he should bury them with 
sand, that they might not be seen by the rest if they fol- 
lowed. So I made signs for him to do so. He fell to 
work, and had them both buried in the sand in about a 
quarter of an hour. I then called him away, and took 
him not to my castle, but my cave, on the farther part of 
the island. So I did not let my dream come to pass in 
that respect ; namely, that he came into my grove for shel- 
ter. Here I gave him bread, and a bunch of raisins to eat, 
and a draught of water, which he was in great distress for, 
by his running. Having refreshed him, I made signs for 
him to go to sleep, pointing to a place where I had laid a 
great parcel of rice straw, and a blanket upon it, which I 
used to sleep upon myself sometimes. So the poor crea- 
ture lay down, and went to sleep. 

He was a handsome fellow, perfectly well-made, tall, 
and well-shaped, and, as I reckon, about twenty-six years of 
age. He had a very good countenance, not a fierce and surly 
aspect, but seemed to have something very manly in his 
face, and yet he had all the sweetness and softness of an 
European in his countenance too, especially when he 
smiled. His hair was long and black, not curled like wool, 
his forehead very high and large, and a great vivacity and 
sparkling sharpness in his eyes. The color of his skin was 
not quite black, but very tawny, and yet not of an ugly, 
yellow, nauseous tawny, as the Brazilians, and Virginians, 


190 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


and other natives of America are, but of a bright kind of 
dun olive color, that had in it something very agreeable, 
though not very easy to describe. His face was round and 
plump, his nose small, not flat like the negroes, a very 
good mouth, thin lips, and his teeth fine, well set, and 
white as ivory. After he had slumbered about half an 
hour, he waked, and came out of the cave to me, for I had 
been milking the goats in the enclosure just by. When he 
espied me he came running, and laid himself on the ground 
again, with all the possible signs of a humble, thankful dis- 
position, making many antic gestures to show it. At last, 
he lays his head flat upon the ground, close to my foot, 
and sets my other foot upon his head, as he had done before. 
After this, he made all the signs to me of subjection, servi- 
tude, and submission imaginable, to let me know how much 
he would serve me as long as he lived. I understood him 
in many things, and let him know I was well pleased with 
him. In a little time I began to speak to him and teach 
him to speak to me ; and first, made him know his name 
should be Friday, which was the day I saved his life. I 
likewise taught him to say, “ Master,” and then let him 
know that was to be my name. I also taught him to say, 
“ Yes,” and “ No,” and to know the meaning of them. I 
gave him some milk in an earthen pot, and some bread, 
and let him see me drink some before him, and sop my 
bread in it, which he quickly imitated, and made signs 
that it was very good for him. 

I kept there with him all that night ; but as soon as it 
was day, I took him away with me. As we went by the 
place where he had buried the two men, he pointed ex- 
actly to the spot, and showed me the marks he had made 
to find them again, making signs to me that we should dig 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


191 


them up and eat them. At this I appeared very angry, 
expressed my abhorrence of it, made as if I would vomit 
at the thoughts of it, and beckoned with my hand to him 
to come away, which he immediately did, with great sub- 
mission. I then led him to the top of the hill, to see if 
his enemies were gone. Pulling out my glass, I looked, 
and saw plainly the place where they had been, but no 
appearance of them or their canoes. So they were quite 
gone. 

I then took my man Friday with me, giving him the 
sword in his hand, with the bow and arrows at his back, 
which I found he could use very dexterously, making him 
carry one gun for me, and I two for myself, and away we 
marched to the place where these creatures had been. 
When I came there, my very blood ran chill in my veins, 
and my heart sank within me at the horror of the specta- 
cle. Indeed, it was a dreadful sight. The place was cov- 
ered with human bones, the ground dyed with the blood, 
great pieces of flesh left here and there, half eaten, man- 
gled, and scorched, and, in short, all the tokens of the 
triumphant feast they had been making there, after a 
victory over their enemies. I saw three skulls, five hands, 
and the bones of three or four legs and feet, and abun- 
dance of other parts of the bodies. Friday, by his signs, 
made me understand that they brought over four prisoners 
to feast upon, that three of them were eaten, and that he, 
pointing to himself, was the fourth ; that there had been a 
great battle between them and their next king, whose sub- 
jects it seems he had been one of, and that they had taken 
a great number of prisoners, all of which were carried to 
several places by those that had taken them in the fight, 
in order to feast upon them, as was done here by these 
wretches. 


192 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


I caused Friday to gather all the bones and flesh that 
remained, and lay them together in a heap, and burn them 
to ashes. I found that he had still a hankering stomach 
after the flesh, and was still a cannibal in his nature ; but 
I displayed such abhorrence at the very thoughts of it, 
that he durst not discover it ; for I let him know that I 
would kill him if he offered it. 

When we had done this, we came back to our castle, 
where I gave Friday first of all a pair of linen drawers, 
which I had found in a wreck, and which, with a little 
alteration, fitted him very well. Then I made him a jer- 
kin of goat’s skin, as well as I was able ; and I gave him 
a cap, which I had made of a hare’s skin. Thus he was 
dressed, for the present, tolerably well. He was pleased 
to see himself almost as well clothed as his master. He 
went awkwardly in these things at first. Wearing the 
drawers was very awkward to him, and the sleeves of the 
jerkin galled his shoulders and the inside of his arms ; but 
he soon got used to them. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


193 


CHAPTER XIX. 



HE next clay, after I came home to my hut with him, 


_L I began to consider where I should lodge him. I 
made a little tent for him in the vacant place between the 
two fortifications, in the inside of the last, and in the out- 
side of the first. As there was an entrance there into my 
cave, I made a framed door-case, and a door to it of 
boards, and set it up in the passage, a little within the 
entrance. Causing the door to open in the inside, I 
barred it up in the night, taking in my ladders too ; so 
that Friday could no way come at me in the inside of my 
innermost wall, without making so much noise in getting 
over, that it must needs awaken me. For my first wall 
had now a complete roof over it of long poles, covering 
all my tent, and leaning up to the side of the hill, which 
was again laid across with small sticks instead of laths, 
and then thatched over a great thickness with the rice 
straw, which was strong like reeds. At the hole or place 
which was left to go in or out by the ladder, I had placed 
a kind of trap-door, which, if it had been attempted on 
the outside, would not have opened at all, but would have 
fallen down and made a great noise. I took care to take 
all the weapons into my side every night. 

But I needed none of these precautions, for never was a 
more faithful, loving, sincere servant than Friday was to 
me. He was without passions, sullenness, or designs. 


194 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


His very affections were tied to me, like those of a child 
to his father ; and, I dare say, he would have sacrificed his 
life for the saving of my own, upon any occasion whatever. 

I was greatly delighted with him, and made it my busi- 
ness to teach him everything that was proper and useful; 
and especially to make him speak, and understand me 
when I spoke. He was a very apt scholar, and he was so 
merry, so diligent, and so pleased when he could under- 
stand me, or make me understand him, that it was very 
pleasant for me to talk to him. And now my life began 
to be very easy and happy. 

After I had been two or three days returned to my 
castle, I thought that, in order to bring Friday off from his 
horrid way of feeding, and from the relish of a cannibal’s 
stomach, I ought to let him taste other flesh. So I took 
him out with me one morning to the woods, and I saw a 
she-goat lying down in the shade, and two young kids 
close by her. I caught hold of Friday. “Hold,” said I; 
“stand still; ” and made signs to him not to stir. Immedi- 
ately I presented my piece, shot, and killed one of the kids. 
The poor creature, who had, at a distance indeed, seen 
me kill the savage, his enemy, but did not know, nor could 
imagine how it was done, was sensibly surprised, trembled, 
and shook, and looked so amazed, that I thought he would 
have sunk down. He did not see the kid I had shot at, 
nor perceive I had killed it, but ripped up his waistcoat to 
feel if he was not wounded. As I found, he thought I was 
resolved to kill him ; for he came and kneeled down to 
me, and, embracing my knees, said a great many things 
I did not understand, but. I could see that his meaning 
was to pray to me not to kill him. 

I soon found a way to convince him that I would do 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


195 


him no harm. Taking him by the hand, I laughed at 
him, and, pointing to the kid I had killed, beckoned to 
him to run and fetch it, which he did. While he was 
looking to see how the creature was killed, I loaded my 
gun again. By and by, I saw a great fowl, like a hawk, 
sitting upon a tree within shot. So, to let Friday under- 
stand a little what I would do, I called him to me again, 
pointing at the fowl, which was a parrot, though I thought 
it had been a hawk. I say, pointing to the parrot and to 
my gun, and to the ground under the parrot, to let him 
see I would make him fall, I made him understand that I 
would shoot and kill that bird. Accordingly I fired, and 
bade him look, and immediately he saw the parrot fall. 
He stood like one frightened again, notwithstanding all 
I had said to him. I found he was the more amazed, 
because he did not see me put anything into the gun ; but 
thought there must be some wonderful fund of death and 
destruction in that thing, able to kill man, beast, bird, or 
any other thing, near or far off. I believe, if I would have 
let him, he would have worshipped me and my gun. As 
for the gun itself, he would not so much as touch it for 
several days after, but would speak to it, and talk to it, as 
if it had answered him ; which, as I afterwards learned of 
him, was to desire it not to kill him. 

Well, after his astonishment was a little over at this, I 
pointed to him to run and fetch the bird I had shot, which 
he did, but staid some time ; for the parrot, not being 
quite dead, was fluttered a good way off from the place 
where she fell. However, he found her, took her up, and 
brought her to me. As I had perceived his ignorance 
about the gun before, I took this advantage to charge the 
gun again, and not let him see me do it, that I might be 


196 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


ready for any other mark, but nothing offered at that time. 
So I brought home the kid, and the same evening took 
the skin off, and cut it up as well as I could. Having a 
pot for that purpose, I boiled or stewed some of the flesh, 
and made some very good broth. After I had begun to 
eat some, I gave some to my man, who seemed very glad 
of it, and liked it very well. But that which was 
strangest to him, was to see me eat salt with it. He made 
a sign to me that the salt was not good to eat, and putting 
a little into his own mouth, he seemed to nauseate it, and 
would spit and sputter at it, washing his mouth with fresh 
water after it. On the other hand, I took some meat in 
my mouth, without salt, and I pretended to spit and 
sputter for want of salt, as fast as he had done at it, but 
it would not do. 

Having thus fed him with boiled meat and broth, I was 
resolved to feast him the next day with roasting a piece of 
the kid. This I did by hanging it before the fire in a 
string, as I had seen many people do in England, setting 
two poles up, one on each side of the fire, and one across 
the top, and tying the string to the cross stick, letting the 
meat turn continually. This Friday admired much ; but 
when he came to taste the flesh, he took so many ways to 
tell me how well he liked it, that ' I could not but under- 
stand him. At last he told me he would never eat man’s 
flesh any more, which I was very glad to hear. 

The next day I set him to work to beating some corn 
out, and sifting it in the manner I used to do. He soon 
understood how to do it as well as I, especially after he 
had seen what the meaning of it was, and that it was to 
make bread of. After that I let him see me make my 
bread, and bake it too ; and in a little time Friday was able 
to do all the work for me as well as I could do it myself. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


197 


I began now to consider that, having two mouths to feed 
instead of one, I must provide more ground for my harvest, 
and plant a larger quantity of corn than I used to do ; so 
I marked out a larger piece of land, and began the fence 
in the same manner as before, in which Friday not only 
worked very hard, but very cheerfully. I told him that it 
was for corn to make more bread, because he was now 
with me, and that I might have enough for him and my- 
self too. He appeared very sensible of that part, and let 
me know that he would work the harder for me, if I would 
tell him what to do. 

This was the pleasantest year of all the life I lead in 
this place. Friday began to talk pretty well, and to under- 
stand the names of almost everything I had occasion to 
call for, and of every place I had occasion to send him to ; 
so that, in short, I began to have some use for my tongue 
again. Besides the pleasure of talking to him, I had a 
singular satisfaction in the fellow himself. His simple, 
unfeigned honesty appeared more and more every day. 
I began really to love the creature ; and I believe he loved 
me as much as possible. 

I had a mind once to try if he had any lingering incli- 
nation to his own country ; and, having taught him English 
so well that he could answer me almost any questions, I 
asked him whether the nation that he belonged to never 
conquered in battle. At which he smiled, and said, “ Yes, 
yes ; we always fight the better ” : that is, he meant, always 
get the better in fight ; and so we began the following dis- 
course : “ You always fight the better ! ” said I ; “how came 
you to be taken prisoner, then, Friday?” 

Friday. My nation beat much, for all that. 

Master. How beat? If your nation beat them, how 
came you to be taken ? 


198 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


Friday. They more than my nation in the place where 
me was : they take one, two, three, and me. My nation 
over-beat them in yonder place, where me no was ; there 
my nation take one, two, great thousand. 

Master. But why did not your side recover you from 
the hands of your enemies, then ? 

Friday. They run one, two, three, and me, and make 
go in the canoe : my nation have no canoe that time. 

Master. Well, Friday, and what does your nation do 
with the men they take? Do they carry them away, and 
eat them, as these did ? 

Friday. Yes, my nation eat mans too ; eat all up. 

Master. Where do they carry them ? 

Friday. Go to other place, where they think. 

Master . Do they come hither ? . 

Friday. Yes, yes, they come hither : come other else place. 

Master. Have you been here with them ? 

Friday. Yes, I been here. (Points to the N. W. side 
of the island, which it seems was their side.) 

By this I understood that my man Friday had formerly 
been among the savages, who had used to come on shore 
on the farther parts of the island, on the said man-eating 
occasions that he had been now brought for ; and sometime 
after, when I took courage to carry him to that side, he 
presently knew the place, and told me he was there once 
when they ate up twenty men, two women, and one child. 

After I had had this discourse with him, I asked him how 
far it was from our island to the shore ; whether the canoes 
were not often lost ? He told me that there was no danger, 
no canoes ever lost ; but that, after a little way out to sea, 
there was a current, and a wind always one way in the 
morning, the other in the afternoon. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. ' 


199 


This I thought to be no more than the sets of the tide, 
as going out or coming in. But I afterwards understood 
it was occasioned by the great draught and reflux of the 
mighty river Oronoco, in the mouth of which river, as I 
thought afterwards, our island lay ; and that this land, 
which I perceived to the W. and N. W., was the great 
_ island Trinidad, on the north point of the mouth of the 
river. I asked Friday a thousand questions about the 
country, the inhabitants, the sea, the coast, and what 
nations were near. He- told me all he knew, with the 
greatest openness imaginable. I asked him the names of 
the several nations of his sort of people, but could get no 
other names than Caribs. From which I easily understood 
that these were the Caribbees, which our maps place on 
that part of America which reaches from the mouth of the 
river Oronoco to Guiana, and onwards to St. Martha. He 
told me that up a great way beyond the moon, which 
must be west from their country, there dwelt white, bearded 
men like me, and pointed to my great whiskers, which I 
mentioned before, and that they had killed “ much mans,” 
that was his word. By all which I understood he meant 
the Spaniards, whose cruelties in America had been spread 
over whole countries, and were remembered by all the 
nations from father to son. 

I inquired if he could tell me how I might come from 
this island, and get among those white men ? He told me 
} r es, yes, I might go in “ two canoe.” I could not under- 
stand what he meant by “ two canoe,” till at last, with dif- 
ficulty, I found he meant that it must be a large boat, as 
big as two canoes. 

This part of Friday’s discourse began to relish with me 
very well ; and from this time I entertained some hopes 


200 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


that, one time or other, I might find an opportunity to 
make my escape from this place, and that this poor savage 
might be a means to help me to do it. 

I was now wanting to lay a foundation of religious 
knowledge in F riday’s mind ; particularly I asked him one 
time who made him. The poor creature did not under- 
stand me, but thought I had asked him who was his father. 
But I took it another way, and asked him who made the 
sea, the ground he walked on, and the hills and woods. 
He told me it was one old Benamuckee, that lived beyond 
all. He could describe nothing of this great person, but 
that he was very old ; much older, he said, than the sea or 
the land, than the moon or the stars. I asked him then, 
if this person had made all things, why did not all things 
worship him ? He looked very grave, and with a perfect 
look of innocence said, “ All things said O to him.” 
I asked him if the people who die in his country went 
away anywhere. He said, yes, they all went to Bena- 
muckee. Then I asked him whether those they eat up 
went thither too. He said, “ Yes.” 

From these things I began to instruct him in the knowl- 
edge of the true God. I told him that the great Maker 
of all things lived up there, pointing up towards heaven : 
that He governs the world by the same power and provi- 
dence by which He had made it : that He was omnipotent, 
could do everything for us, everything to us, take every- 
thing from us ; and thus, by degrees, I opened his eyes. 
He listened with great attention, and received with pleasure 
the notion of Jesus Christ being sent to redeem us, and of 
the manner of making our prayers to God, and his being 
able to hear us, even into heaven. He told me one day, 
that if our God could hear us up beyond the sun* he must 


OF ROBINSON CBUSOE. 


201 


needs be a greater God than their Benamuckee, who lived 
but a little way off, and yet could not hear till they went 
up to the great mountains where he dwelt, to speak to 
him. I asked him if ever lie went thither to speak to him. 
He said, no ; they never went that were young men. 
None went thither but the old men, whom he called their 
Oowokakee, that is, as I made him explain it to me, their 
religious, or clergy ; and that they went to say O (so he 
called saying prayers), and then came back, and told them 
what Benamuckee said. By this I observed that there is 
priestcraft even amongst the most blinded, ignorant pagans 
in the world. 

Sending him for something a great way off, I seriously 
prayed to God that he would enable me to instruct this 
poor savage, assisting by his Spirit the heart of the poor 
ignorant creature to receive the light of the knowledge of 
God in Christ, reconciling him to himself, and would 
guide me to speak so to him from the word of God, as his 
conscience might be convinced, his eyes opened, and. his 
soul saved. When he came again to me, I entered into a 
long discourse with him upon the subject of the redemp- 
tion of man, by the Saviour of the world, and of the doc- 
trine of the gospel preached from heaven; namely, of 
repentance towards God, and faith in our blessed Lord 
Jesus. I then explained to him, as well as I could, why 
our blessed Redeemer took not on him the nature of 
angels, but the seed of Abraham, and how, for that reason, 
the fallen angels had no share in the redemption ; that he 
came only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and 
the like. 

I had, God knows, more sincerity than knowledge, in 
all the methods I took for this poor creature’s instruction, 


202 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


and must acknowledge what I believe all that act upon 
the same principle will find, that, in laying things open to 
him, I really informed and instructed myself in many 
things that I either did not know or had not fully con- 
sidered before, but which occurred naturally to my mind, 
upon my searching into them for the information of this 
poor savage. And I had more affection in my inquiry 
after things upon this occasion than ever I felt before ; so 
that whether this poor wild wretch Avas the better for me 
or no, I had great reason to be thankful that ever he name 
to me. My grief sat lighter upon me, my habitation grew 
comfortable to me beyond measure, when I reflected, that, 
in this solitary life which I had been confined to, I had not 
only been moved myself to look up to heaven, and to seek 
the hand that brought me thither, but was now to be 
made an instrument, under Providence, to save the life, 
and, for aught I knew, the soul, of a poor savage. 

In this thankful frame I continued all the remainder of 
my time, and the conversation which employed the hours 
between Friday and me were such as made the three years, 
which we lived there together, perfectly and completely 
happy, if any such thing as complete happiness can be 
found in a sublunary state. The savage was now a good 
Christian, a much better than I, though I have reason to 
hope, and bless God for it, that we were equally penitent, 
and comforted restored penitents. We had here the word 
of God to read, and no farther off from his Spirit to in- 
struct, than if we had been in England. I always ap- 
plied myself to reading the Scriptures, and to let him 
know, as well as I could, the meaning of what I read. 

After Friday and I became more intimately acquainted, 
and he could understand almost all I said to him, and 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE . 


203 


speak fluently, though in broken English to me, I ac- 
quainted him with my history. I let him into the mystery 
of gunpowder and bullets, and taught him how to shoot. 
I gave him a knife, which' he was wonderfully delighted 
with, and I made him a belt with a frog hanging to it, 
such as in England we wear hangers 1 in ; and in the frog, 
instead of a hanger, I gave him a hatchet. 

I described to him the countries of Europe, and partic- 
ularly England, which I came from ; how we lived, how 
we worshipped God, how we behaved to one another, and 
how we traded in ships to all parts of the world. 

I showed him the ruins of our boat, which we lost when 
I escaped, and which was now fallen almost to pieces. 
Upon seeing this boat, Friday stood musing some time, 
and said nothing. I asked him what he studied upon ; at 
last, says he, “ Me see such boat like come to place at my 
nation.” 

I did not understand him a good while ; but at last, 
when I had examined farther into it, I understood by him, 
that a boat, such as that had been, came on shore upon the 
country where he lived, that is, as he explained it, was 
driven thither by stress of weather. I presently imag- 
ined that some European ship must have been cast away 
upon their coast, and the boat had got loose and been driven 
ashore ; but was so dull that I never once thought of men 
making their escape from a wreck thither, much less 
whence they might come, so I only inquired after a de- 
scription of the boat. 

Friday described the boat to me well enough; but 
brought me better to understand him when he added, with 
some warmth, “ We save the white mans from drown.” 

1 A sort of broadsword, short, and curved at the point. 


204 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


Then I presently asked him if there were any white mans, 
as he called them, in the boat. “Yes,” he said, 44 the boat 
full of white mans.” I asked him, “ How many ? ” He 
told upon his fingers seventeen. I asked him, “ What be- 
came of them ? ” He told me, “ They live, they dwell at 
my nation.” 

This put new thoughts into my head again, for I pres- 
ently imagined that these might be the men belonging to 
the ship that was cast away in sight of my island, and who 
after the ship was struck on the rock, and they saw her in- 
evitably lost, had saved themselves in their boat, and were 
landed upon that wild shore among savages. 

Upon this I inquired of him more critically, what was 
become of them. He assured me they still lived there, 
that they had been there about four years, that the sav- 
ages let them alone, and gave them victuals to live. I 
asked him how it came to pass that they did not kill them, 
and eat them. He said, “ No, they make brother with 
them,” that is, as I understood him, a truce ; and then he 
added, 44 They no eat mans, but when make the war 
fight ; ” that is to say, they never eat any men, but such 
as come to fight with them, and are taken in battle. 

It was, after this, some considerable time, that, being 
on the top of the hill, at the east side of the island, from 
whence I had, in a clear day, discovered the main, or con- 
tinent of America, Friday, the weather being very serene, 
looks very earnestly towards the main-land, and in a kind 
of surprise, falls a jumping and dancing, and calls out to 
me. I asked him what was the matter. 44 O joy ! ” says 
he, 44 O glad ! There see my country ! there my nation ! ” 

I observed an extraordinary sense of pleasure appear in 
his face. His eyes sparkled, and his countenance discov- 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


205 


erecl a strange eagerness, as if lie had a mind to be in his 
own country again. This observation of mine put a great 
many thoughts into me, which made me, at first, not so 
easy about my new man Friday, as I was before; and I 
made no doubt, but that, if Friday could get back to his 
own nation again, he would not only forget all his reli- 
gion, but all his obligations to me. 

But I wronged the poor, honest creature very much, for 
which I was very sorry afterwards. However, as my 
jealousy increased, and held me some weeks, I was a little 
more circumspect, and not so familiar and kind to him as 
before, in which I was certainly in the wrong.. 

Whilst my jealousy of him lasted, I was every day 
pumping him, to see if he would discover any of the new 
thoughts, which I suspected were in him ; but I found 
everything he said was honest, and so innocent, that I 
could find nothing to nourish my suspicion, and, in spite 
of all my uneasiness, he made me, at last, entirely his own 
again. Nor did he in the least perceive that I was uneasy, 
and therefore I could not suspect him of deceit. 

One day, walking up the same hill, but the weather 
being hazy at sea, so that we could not see the continent, 
I called to him and said, “Friday, do not' you wish your- 
self in your own country, your own nation?” “ Yes,” he 
said ; “ I be much glad to be at my own nation.” “ What 
would you do there ? ” said I ; “ would you turn wild 
again, eat man’s flesh again, and be savage, as you were 
before?” He looked full of concern, and, shaking his 
head, said, “ No, no ; Friday tell them to live good ; tell 
them to pray God; tell them to eat corn-bread, cattle- 
flesh, milk ; no eat man again.” “ Why, then,” said I to 
him, “ they will kill you.” He looked grave at th^t, and 


206 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


then said, “No, they no kill me; they willing love learn.” 
He meant by this that they would be willing to learn ; he 
added, they learned much, of the bearded mans that came 
in the boat. Then I asked if he would go back to them. 
He smiled at that, and told me he could not swim so far. 
I told him I would make a canoe for him. He told me he 
would go if I would go with him. “I go,” said I, “why, 
they will eat me if I come there.” “No, no,” said he, “me 
make them no eat you; me make they much love you.” 
He meant he would tell them how I had killed his ene- 
mies, and saved his life, and so he would make them much 
love me. 

From this time, I confess, I had a mind to venture over, 
and see if I could possibly join with these bearded men, 
who, I made no doubt, were Spaniards or Portuguese ; 
not doubting but, if I could, we might find some method 
to escape from thence, being upon the continent, and a 
good company together, better than I could from an island, 
forty miles off the shore, and alone, without help. So, 
after some days, I took Friday to work again, by way of 
discourse, and told him I would give him a boat to go 
back to his own nation. Accordingly, I carried him to 
my frigate, which lay on the other side of the island, and, 
having cleared it of the water, I brought it out, showed it 
him, and we both went into it. 

I found he was very dextrous at managing it, and 
would make it go almost as swift again as I could ; so I 
said to him, “Well, now, Friday, shall we go to your 
nation ? ” He looked very dull at my saying so, which, 
it seems, was because he thought the boat was too small 
to go so far. I told him then, I had a bigger. So the 
very next day I went to the place where the first boat lay, 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


207 


which I had made, but which I could not get into the 
w;ater. He said that was big enough : but, as I had taken 
no care of it, and it had lain two or three and twenty 
years there, the sun had split and dried it, that it was, in 
a manner rotten. Friday told me that such a boat would 
do very well, and would carry “much enough vittle, 
drink, bread ” ; that was his way of talking. 

Upon the whole, I was by this time so fixed upon my 
design of going over with him to the continent, that I 
told him we would go and make one as big as that, and he 
should go home in it. He answered not one word, but 
looked very grave and sad. I asked him what was the 
matter with him. He asked me again thus, — “ Why are 
you angry mad with Friday? What me done ? ” I asked 
him what he meant. I told him I was not angry with him 
at all. “No- angry! no angry!” says he, repeating the 
words several times, “ why send Friday home away to my 
nation?” “ Why,” said I, “Friday, did you not say you 
wished you were there ?” “ Yes, yes,” says he, “wish we 
both there ; no wish Friday there, no master there.” In 
a word, he would not think of going there without me. 
“You shall go without me ; leave me here to live by my- 
self as I did before.” He looked confused at this, and run- 
ning to one of the hatchets which he used to wear, he 
takes it up hastily, and gives it me. “What must I do 
with this? ” said I to him. “You take kill Friday,” says 
he. “ What must I kill you for ? ” said I again. He re- 
turns very quick, “What you sent Friday away for? 
Take kill Friday ; no send Friday away.” As he spoke, 
tears stood in his eyes, and I was so affected, that I said I 
would never send him away, if he was willing to stay with 


me. 


208 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


I found that all the foundation of his desire to go to his 
own country was laid in his ardent affection to the people, 
and his hopes of my doing them good ; a thing, which, as I 
had no notion of myself, so I had not the least thought, or 
intention, or desire of undertaking it. But still I found a 
strong inclination to attempting an escape, as above, 
founded on the supposition gathered from the former dis- 
course ; namely, that there were seventeen bearded men 
there. Therefore, without any more delay, I went to work 
with Friday,, to find out a great tree proper to fell, and 
make a large periagua, or canoe, for the voyage. After 
searching some time, Friday at last pitched upon a tree, 
for I found he knew much better than I what kind of 
wood was fittest for it ; nor can I tell, to this day, what 
wood to call the tree we cut down, except that it was very 
like the tree we call fustic, or between that and the Nica- 
ragua wood, for it was much of the same color and smell. 
Friday was for burning the hollow or cavity of this tree 
out, to make it into a boat ; but I showed him how rather 
to cut it out with tools, which, after I had showed him how 
to use, he did it very handily. In about a month’s hard 
labor we finished it, and made it very handsome, especially 
when, with our axes, which I showed him how to handle, we 
cut and hewed the outside into the true shape of a boat. 
After this, however, it cost us near a fortnight’s time to 
get her along, as it were, inch by inch, upon great rollers, 
into the water ; but when she was in, she would have car- 
ried twenty men with ease. 

It amazed me to see with what dexterity, and how swift 
my man Friday would manage her, turn her, and paddle 
her along. So I asked him if he would, and if we might 
venture over in her. “ Yes,” he said, “ me venture over 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


209 


in her very well, though great blow wind.” However, I 
had a farther design that he knew nothing of, and that 
was to make a mast and a sail, and to fit her with an an- 
chor and cable. As to the mast, that was easy enough to 
get, so I pitched upon a straight young cedar-tree, which I 
found near the place, and which there was plenty of in 
the island. I set Friday to work to cut it down, and gave 
him directions how to shape and order it ; but as to the 
sail, that was my particular care. I knew I had pieces of 
old sails, but 'as I had had them now twenty -six years by 
me, and not being very careful to preserve them, they were 
nearly all rotten. However, I found two pieces which 
appeared pretty good. With a great deal of pains, and 
awkward, tedious stitching, for want of needles, I A length 
made a three-cornered ugly thing, like what we call in Eng- 
land a slioulder-of-mutton sail, to go with a boom at the bot- 
tom, and a little short sprit at .the top, such as usually our 
ships’ long boats sail with, and such as I best knew how 
to manage, because it was such a one as I used in the boat 
in which I made my escape from Barbary. 

I was near two months in rigging and fitting out my 
mast and sails, for I fitted them very complete, making a 
small stay, and a sail, or foresail to it; to assist, if we 
should turn to windward ; and, which was more than all, 
I fixed a rudder to the stern of her to steer with, and, 
though I was but a bungling shipwright, yet, as I knew 
the usefulness and even necessity of such a thing, I applied 
myself with so much pains to do it, that at last I brought 
it to pass. 

After all this was done, I had my man Friday to teach, 
as to what belonged to the navigation of my boat. For, 
though he knew very well how to paddle the canoe, he 


210 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


knew nothing what belonged to a sail and rudder, and 
how the sail jibbed, and filled this way or that way, as 
the course we sailed changed. I say, when he saw this, 
he stood like one astonished and amazed. However, with 
a little use, I made all these things familiar to him, and 
he became an expert sailor, except that, as to the compass, 
I could make him understand very little of that; but 
there was not much occasion for the compass in these 
parts. 


* 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


211 


CHAPTER XX. 

I WAS now entered on the seven-and-twentieth year 
of my captivity in this ^ place ; though the three last 
years that I had this creature with me ought rather to be 
left out of the account, my habitation being quite of 
another kind than in all the rest of the time. I kept the 
anniversary of my landing here with the same thankful- 
ness to God for his mercies as at first ; and, if I had such 
cause of acknowledgment at first, I had much more so 
now, having such additional testimonies of the care of 
Providence over me, and the great hopes I had of being 
effectually and speedily delivered. For I had an invincible 
impression upon my thoughts, that my deliverance was at 
hand, and that I should not be another year in this place. 
However, I went on with all my work as usual. 

The rainy season was, in the meantime, upon me, when 
I kept more within doors than at other times. So I had 
stowed our new vessel as secure as we could, bringing her 
up into the creek, where, as I said in the beginning, I 
landed my rafts from the ship ; and thus we waited for 
the months of November and December, in which I de- 
signed to make my adventure. 

When the settled season began to come in, the first 
thing I did, was to lay by a certain quantity of provisions, 
being the store for our voyage ; and I intended, in a week 
or a fortnight’s time, to open the dock, and launch out 
our boat. I was busy one morning upon something of 
this kind, when I called to Friday and bade him go to the 


212 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


sea-sliore, and see if he could find a turtle or tortoise — 
a thing which we generally got once a week, for the sake 
of the eggs as well as the flesh. Friday had not been 
long gone, when he came running back, and flew over my 
outward wall or fence, like one that felt not the ground ; 
and, before I had time to speak to him, he cried out to 
me, “ O master ! O master ! O sorrow ! O bad ! ” “ What’s 

the matter, Friday ? ” said I. “ O yonder there,” says he, 
“ one, two, three canoe ! one, two, three ! ” By this way 
of speaking, I concluded there were six ; but, on inquiry, 
I found there were but three. “Well, Friday,” said I, 
“ do not be frightened.” So I heartened him up, as well 
as I could. However, I saw the poor fellow was most 
terribly scared, for nothing ran in his head but that they 
were come to look for him, and would cut him in pieces 
and eat him ; and the poor fellow trembled so, that I 
scarce knew what to do with him. I comforted him as 
well as I could, and told him I was in as much danger as 
he, and that they would eat me as well as him. “ But,” 
said I, “ Friday, we must resolve to fight them. Can you 
fight, Friday?” “Me shoot,” says he, “but there come 
many great number.” “No matter for that,” said I again, 
“ our guns will fright them that we do not kill.” So I 
asked him whether, if I resolved to defend him, he would 
defend me, and stand by me, and do just as I bade him. 
He said, “ Me die when you bid die, master.” So I made 
him take the two fowling-pieces, and load them with swan 
shot, as big as small pistol bullets. Then I took four 
muskets, and loaded them with two slugs and five small 
bullets each ; and my two pistols I loaded with a brace of 
bullets each. I hung my great sword, as usual, naked by 
my side, and gave Friday his hatchet. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


213 


When I had thus prepared myself, I took my perspec- 
tive glass, and went up to the side of the hill, to see what 
I could discover. I found quickly, by my glass, that 
there were twenty-one savages, three prisoners, and three 
canoes ; and that their whole business seemed to be the 
triumphant banquet upon these three human bodies. 

They were landed, not where they had done when Fri- 
day made his escape, but nearer to my creek, where the 
shore was low, and where a thick wood came close almost 
down to the sea. This, with the abhorrence of the inhu- 
man errand these wretches came about, so filled me with 
indignation, that I came down to Friday, and told him I 
was resolved to go down to them, and kill them all, and 
asked him if he would stand by me. He had now gotten 
over his fright, and was very cheerful, and told me, as 
before, 44 He would die when I bid die.” 

In this fit of fury, I took first and divided' the arms 
which I had charged, as before, between us. I gave Fri- 
day one pistol to stick in his girdle, and three guns upon 
his shoulder. I took one pistol and the other three myself, 
and in this posture we marched out. I gave Friday a 
large bag with more powder and bullets. As to orders, 
I charged him to keep close behind me, and not to 
stir, or shoot, or do anything till I bade him ; and, in the 
meantime, not to speak a word. In this posture, I fetched 
a compass 1 to my right hand, of near a mile, as well to get 
over the creek, as to get into the wood, so that I might 
come within a shot of them before I should be discovered, 
which I had seen by my glass it was easy to do. 

I entered the wood with all possible wariness and si- 
lence (Friday following close at my heels), and marched 
1 The original meaning of compass is “ circle.” 


214 


LIFE AND ADVENTUBES 


till I came to the skirt of the wood, on the side which was 
next to them, only that one corner of the wood lay be- 
tween me and them. Here I called softly to Friday, and, 
showing him a great tree which was just at the corner of 
the wood, I bade him go to the tree, and bring me word 
if he could see there, plainly, what they were doing. He 
did so, and came immediately back to me, and told me 
they might be plainly viewed there ; that they were all 
about the fire, eating the flesh of one of their prisoners, 
and that another lay bound upon the sand, a little from 
them, whom, he said, they would kill next, and which 
fired the very soul within me. He told me it was not 
one of their own nation, but one of the bearded men 
whom he had told me of, that came to their country in 
the boat. I was filled with horror at the very naming the 
white, bearded man. Going to the tree, I saw plainly by’ 
my glass, a white man, who lay upon the beach of the sea, 
with his hands and feet tied with flags, or things like 
rushes, and that he was an European, and had clothes on. 

There was another tree, and a little thicket 'beyond it, 
about fifty yards nearer to them than the place where I 
was, which, by going a little way about, I saw I might come 
at undiscovered, and that then I should be within half a 
shot. of them. So I withheld my passion, and, going back 
about twenty paces, I got behind some bushes, which held 
all the way till I came to the other tree. Then I came 
to a little rising ground, which gave me a full view of 
them, at the distance of about eighty yards. 

I had now not a moment to lose, for nineteen of the 
dreadful wretches sat upon the ground, all close huddled 
together, and had just sent the other two to butcher the 
poor Christian, and bring him, perhaps limb by limb, to 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


215 


their fire, and they were stooped down to untie the bands at 
his feet. I turned to Friday: “Now, Friday,” said I, “do as 
Ibid thee.” Friday said he would. “Then, Friday,” said 
I, “ do exactly as you see me do ; fail in nothing.” So I 
set down one of the muskets and the fowling-piece upon 
the ground, and Friday did the like by his ; and with the 
other musket I took my aim at the savages, bidding him 
do the like. Then asking him if he was ready, he said, 
“ Yes.” “ Then fire at them,” said I ; and the same mo- 
ment I fired also. 

Friday took his aim so much better than I, that on the 
side he shot he killed two of them and wounded three 
more ; and r on my side, I killed one and wounded two. 
They were in a dreadful consternation ; and all of them 
who were not hurt jumped up upon their feet immediately, 
but did not know which way to run or which way to look, 
for they knew not from whence their destruction came. 
Friday kept his eyes close upon me, that, as I bid him, he 
might observe what I did. So, as soon as the first shot 
was made, I threw down the piece and took up the fowl- 
ing-piece, and Friday did the like. He sees me cock and 
present; he did the same again. “Are you ready, Fri- 
day ? ” said I. “ Yes,” said he. “ Let fly, then,” said I ; 
and with that I fired again among the amazed wretches, 
and so did Friday. As our pieces were now loaded 
with what I call swan-shot, or small pistol bullets, we 
found only two drop ; but so many were wounded, that 
they ran about yelling and screaming like mad creatures, 
all bloody and wounded most of them, and three more fell 
quickly after, but not quite dead. 

“Now, Friday,” said I, laying down the discharged 
pieces and taking up the musket, which was yet loaded, 


216 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


“ follow me,” wliicli he did with a great deal of courage. 
Upon which I rushed out of the wood and showed myself, 
and Friday close at my foot. As soon as I perceived they 
saw me, I shouted as loud as I could, and bade Friday do 
so too. Running as fast as I could, which, by the way, 
was not very fast, I made directly towards the poor vic- 
tim, who was, as I said, lying upon the beach or shore, be- 
tween the place where they sat and the sea. The two 
butchers, who were just going to work with him, had left 
him at the surprise of our first fire and fled, in a terrible 
fright, to the sea-side, and had jumped into a canoe, and three 
more of the rest made the same way. I turned to Friday, 
and bade him step forwards and fire at them. He under- 
stood me immediately, and, running about forty yards to 
be nearer them, he shot at them. I thought he had 
killed them all, for I saw them all fall on a heap in the 
boat, though I saw two of them up again quickly. How- 
ever, he killed two of them, and wounded the third, so 
that he lay in the bottom of the boat as if he had been 
dead. 

While Friday fired at them, I pulled out my knife and 
cut the flags that bound the poor victim. Loosing his 
hands and feet, I lifted him up, and asked him, in the Por- 
tuguese tongue, what he was. He answered in Latin, 
“ Chris tianus ” ; but was so weak and faint, that he could 
scarce stand or speak. I took my bottle out of my pocket 
and gave it him, making signs that he should drink, which 
he did ; and I gave him a piece of bread, which he ate. 
Then I asked him what countryman he was, and he said, 
“ Espagniole ” ; and, being a little recovered, let me know, 
by all the signs he could possibly make, how much he was 
in my debt for his deliverance. I said, in as good Spanish 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


217 


as I could, “ We will talk afterwards, but we must fight 
now. If you have any strength left, take the pistol and 
sword, and lay about you.” He took them very thank- 
fully, and no sooner had he the arms in his hands, but, as if 
they put new vigor into him, he flew upon his murderers 
like a fury, and had cut two of them in pieces in an in- 
stant ; for they were so surprised and frightened, that they 
could make no resistance, nor attempt to escape. 

I kept my piece in my hand still, without firing, being 
willing to keep my charge ready, because I had given the 
Spaniard my pistol and sword. So I called to Friday, 
and bade him run up to the tree from whence we first 
fired, and fetch the arms which lay there that had been 
discharged, which he quickly did. Then, giving him my 
musket, I sat down to load all the rest again, and bade 
them come to me when they wanted. While I was load- 
ing these pieces, there happened a fierce engagement 
between the Spaniard and one of the savages, who made 
at him with one of their great wooden swords, the same 
weapon that was to have killed him before, if I had not 
prevented it. The Spaniard, who was very bold, though 
weak, had fought this Indian a good while, and had cut 
him two great wounds on his head. But the savage, being 
a stout, lusty fellow, closing in with him, had thrown him 
down, and was wringing my sword out of his hand, when 
the Spaniard, though undermost, wisely quitted the sword, 
drew the pistol from his girdle, and shot him dead on 
the spot. 

Friday, being now left at his liberty, pursued the flying 
wretches with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet, and 
with that he despatched those three who were wounded 
at first and fallen, and all the rest he could come up with. 


218 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


The Spaniard coming to me for a gun, I gave him one of 
the fowling-pieces, with which he pursued two of the sav- 
ages, and wounded them both. But, as he was not able 
to run, they both got from him into the wood, where 
Friday pursued them, and killed one of them, but the 
other was too nimble for him; and, though he was 
wounded, yet had plunged into the sea, and swam with 
all his might oft to those who were left in the canoe. 
The three in the canoe, with one wounded (we know not 
whether he died or no), were all that escaped our hands of 
one-and-twent} 7 ". 

Those that were in the canoe worked hard to get out 
of gun-shot ; and, though Friday made two or three shots 
at them, I did not find that he hit any of them. Friday 
would fain have had me take one of their canoes and 
pursue them ; and, indeed, I was very anxious about their 
escape, lest, carrying the news home to their people, they 
should come back, perhaps, with two or three hundred of 
their canoes, and devour us by mere multitude. So I con- 
sented to pursue them by sea ; and, running to one of their 
canoes, I jumped in, and bade Friday follow me. But 
when I was in the canoe, I was surprised to find another 
poor creature lying there alive, bound hand and foot, as the 
Spaniard was, for the slaughter, and almost dead with 
fear, not knowing what the matter was, for he had not 
been able to look up over the side of the boat. He was 
tied so hard, neck and heels, and had been tied so long, 
that he had little life in him. 

I immediately cut the twisted flags, or rushes, that 
bound him, and would have helped him up. But he could 
not stand or speak, but groaned most piteously, believing, 
it seems, still, that he was only unbound in order to be 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


219 


killed. When Friday came, I bade him speak to him, and 
tell him of his deliverance ; and, pulling out my bottle, 
made him give the poor wretch a dram, which, with the 
news of his being delivered, revived him, and he sat up in 
the boat. But when Friday came to hear him speak, and 
looked in his face, it would have moved any one to tears 
to have seen how Friday kissed him, embraced him, hugged 
him, cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped about, danced, sung, 
then cried again, wrung his hands, beat his own face and 
head, and then sung and jumped about again, like a dis- 
tracted creature. It was a good while before I could 
make him speak to me, or tell me what was . the matter ; 
but when he came a little to himself, he said that it was 
his father. 

It is not easy for me to express how it moved me to see 
what ecstasy and filial affection had worked in this poor 
savage at the sight of his father, and of his being deliv- 
ered from death. Nor, indeed, can I describe half the 
extravagance of his affection after this ; for he went into 
the boat and out of the boat a great many times. When 
he went in to him, he would sit down by him, open his 
breast, and hold his father’s head close to his bosom half 
an hour together, to nourish it. Then he took his arms 
and ankles, which were numbed and stiff with the bind- 
ing, and chafed and rubbed them with his hands; and I, 
perceiving what the case was, gave him some rum out of 
my bottle to rub them with, which did them a deal of 
good. 

This action put an end to our pursuit of the canoe with 
the other savages, who were now gotten almost out of 
sight. And it was happy for us that we did not, for it 
blew so hard within two hours after, and before they could 


220 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


be gotten a quarter of their way, and continued blowing 
so bard alb night, and that from the north-west, which was 
against them, that I could not suppose their boat could 
live, or that they ever reached to their own coast. 

But to return to Friday. He was so busy about his 
father, that I could not find in my heart to take him off 
for some time. But after I thought he could leave him a 
little, I called him to me, and he came, jumping and 
laughing, and pleased to the highest extreme. Then I 
asked him if he had given his father any bread. He shook 
his head, and said, “ None : ugly dog eat all up self.” So I 
gave him a cake of bread, out of a little pouch I carried on 
purpose. I also gave him a dram for himself, but he would 
not taste it, but carried it to his father. I had in my pocket, 
also, two or three bunches of my raisins, so I gave him a 
handful of them for his father. He had no sooner given 
his father these raisins, but I saw him come out of the 
boat, and run away, as if he had been bewitched. He ran 
at such a rate (for he was the swiftest fellow of his foot 
that ever I saw), I say, he ran at such a rate that he was 
out of sight, as it were,, in an instant; and, though I 
called and hallooed too after him, it was all one. Away 
he went, and, in a quarter of an hour, I saw him come 
back again, though not so fast as he went. And, as he 
came near, I found his pace was slacker, because he had 
something in his hand. 

When he came to me I found he had been quite home 
for an earthen jug, or pot, to bring his father some fresh 
water, and that he had got two more cakes or loaves of 
bread. The bread he gave me, but the water he carried 
to his father. However, as I was very thirsty too, I took 
a little sup of it. The water revived his father more than 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


221 


all the mm or spirits I had given him, for he was just 
fainting with thirst. 

When his father had drunk, I called to him to know if 
there was any water left. He said, “ Yes.” I bade him 
give it to the poor Spaniard, who was as much in want of 
it as his father. I sent one of the cakes that Friday 
brought to the Spaniard, too, who was indeed very weak, 
and was reposing himself upon a green place, under the 
shade of a tree. His limbs were also very stiff, and very 
much swelled with the rude bandage he had been tied 
with. Upon Friday’s coming up to him with the water, 
he sat up and drank, and took the bread and began to 
eat. I went up to him and gave him a handful of raisins. 
He looked up in my face with all the tokens of gratitude 
and thankfulness that could appear in any countenance ; 
but was so weak, notwithstanding he had so exerted him- 
self in the fight, that he could not stand upon his feet. 
He tried to do it two or three times, but was really not 
able, his ankles were so swelled and so painful to him. 
So I bade him sit still, and caused Friday to rub his 
ankles, and bathe them with rum, as he had done his 
father’s. 

I observed the poor, affectionate creature, every two 
minutes, or perhaps less, all the while he was here, turned 
his head about to see for his father. At last he missed 
him ; at which he started up, and, without speaking a 
word, flew with that swiftness to him, that one could 
scarce perceive his feet to touch the ground as he went. 
But when he came, he found he had only laid himself 
down to ease his limbs. So Friday came back to me 
presently, and I then told him to help the Spaniard to the 
boat. So he took him upon his back, and carried him 


222 • 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


beside liis father in the boat. Stepping out again, he 
launched the boat off, and paddled it along the shore 
faster than I could walk, though the wind blew pretty 
hard too. So he brought them both safe into our creek, 
and leaving them in the boat, runs away to fetch the other 
canoe. As he passed me, I spoke to him, and asked him 
whither he went. He told me, “'Go fetch more boat.” 
So away he went, like the wind, for sure never man or 
horse ran like him ; and he had the other canoe in the 
creek almost as soon as I got to it by land. So he wafted 
me over, and then went to help our new guests out of the 
boat, which he did ; but they were neither of them able to 

walk, so that poor Friday knew not what to do. . 

At last, we made a kind of hand-barrow to lay them on, 
and Friday and I carried them up both together upon it 
between us. But when we got them to the outside of our 

wall, or fortification, we were at a worse loss than before, 
for it was impossible to get them over ; and I was resolved 
not to break it down. So I set to work again ; and Friday 
and I, in about two hours’ time, made a very handsome 
tent, covered with old . sails, and above with boughs of 
trees, being in the same space without our outward fence, 
and between that and the grove of young wood which I 
had planted. Here we made them two beds of such things 
as I had ; namely, of good rice straw, with blankets laid 
upon it to lie on, and another to cover them on each bed. 

My island was now peopled, and I thought myself 
very rich in subjects. It was a merry reflection which I 
frequently made, how like a king I looked. First of all, 
the whole country was my own mere 1 property, so that I 
had an undoubted right of dominion. Secondly, my people 

1 Distinct, absolute. 


OF F OB INS OX CUTIS OE. 


223 


were perfectly subjected. I was the absolute lord and 
lawgiver. They all owed their lives to me, and were ready 
to lay down their lives, if there had been occasion of it, 
for me. It was remarkable, too, I had but three subjects, 
and they were of three different religions. My man Fri- 
day was a Protestant. His father was a pagan and a can- 
nibal; and the Spaniard was a Catholic. However, I 
allowed liberty of conscience to all my subjects. 

As soon- as I had secured my two weak, rescued prison- 
ers, and given them shelter, and a place to rest upon, I 
began to think of making some provision for them. The 
first thing I did, I ordered Friday to take a yearling goat, 
betwixt a kid and a goat,- out of my particular flock, to be 
killed. Then I cut off the hinder quarter, and chopping 
it into small pieces, I set Friday to work to boiling and 
stewing. I made them a very good dish of flesh and broth, 
and we all enjoyed it and ate heartily. 

After we had dined, or rather supped, I ordered Friday 
to take one of the canoes and go and fetch our muskets 
and other fire-arms from the place of battle. The next 
day I ordered him to go and bury the dead bodies of the 
savages, which lay open to the sun, and would presently 
be offensive. I also ordered him to bkry the horrid re- 
mains of their barbarous feast. All of which he punctually 
performed. 

I then began to enter into a little conversation with my 
two new subjects. First I set Friday to inquire of his 
father what he thought of the escape of the savages in 
that canoe, and whether we might expect a return of them 
with a power too great for us to resist. His first opinion 
was, that the savages in the boat never could live out the . 
storm which blew that night they went off, but must be 


224 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


drowned, or driven south to those other shores, where they 
were as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned, 
if they were cast away. But as to what they would do, if 
they came on shore, he said, he knew not.. It was his 
opinion that they were so dreadfully frightened with the 
manner of their being attacked, the noise and the fire, that 
he believed they would tell their people they were all 
killed by thunder and lightning, and not by the hand of 
man ; and that the two which appeared (namely, Friday 
and I) were two heavenly spirits and furies come down to 
destroy them, and not with weapons. And this old savage 
was right. For though they escaped the sea, they gave 
such dreadful accounts in their own country (as I heard 
afterwards), that they never ventured from that part to 
my island again. 

But I was under continual apprehensions for some time, 
and kept upon my guard, I and all my army. For, as we 
were now four of us, I would have ventured upon a hun- 
dred of them in the open field. 

In a little time, however, no more canoes appearing, the 
fear of them coming wore off, and I began to take my 
former thoughts of a voyage to the main into considera- 
tion, being likewise assured, by Friday’s father, that I 
might depend upon good usage from their nation, on his 
account, if I would go. 

But my thoughts were a little suspended, when I had a 
serious discourse with the Spaniard, and when I under- 
stood that there were sixteen more of his countrymen and 
Portuguese, who, having been cast away, and made their 
escape to that side, lived there at peace indeed with the 
savages, but were very sore put to it for necessaries, and 
indeed for life. I asked him all the particulars of their 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


225 


voyage, and found they were a Spanish ship, bound from 
the Rio de la Plata to Havana, being directed to leave 
their loading there, which was chiefly hides and silver, 
and to bring back what European goods they could 
meet with there ; that they had five Portuguese seamen 
on board, whom they took out of another wreck ; that five 
of their own men were drowned when first their ship was 
lost ; and that these escaped through infinite dangers and 
hazards, and arrived, almost starved, on the cannibal 
coast, where they expected to be devoured every moment. 

He told me they had some arms with them, but they 
were perfectly useless, for they had neither powder nor ball, 
the washing of the sea having spoiled all their powder, but 
a little, which they used at their first landing to provide 
themselves some food. 

I asked him what he thought would become of them 
there, and if they had formed no design of making an es- 
cape. He said they had many consultations about it, but, 
having neither vessel, nor tools to build one, nor provisions 
of any kind, their counsels always ended in tears and des- 
pair. I asked him how he thought they would receive a 
proposal from me, which might tend towards an escape ; 
and, whether, if they were all here, it might not be done. 

He told me they were all under the greatest distress im- 
aginable, and if I would undertake their relief, they would 
live and die by me. 

Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve 
them, if possible, and to send the old savage and the Span- 
iard over to them to treat. But when he had gotten all 
things in readiness to go, the Spaniard himself started an 
objection, ^ which had so much prudence in it on one hand, 
and so much sincerity on the other hand, that I could not 


226 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


but be well satisfied in it ; and, by his advice, put off the 
deliverance of his comrades for at least half a year. The 
case was thus : — He had been with us how about a 
month, during which time I had let him see in what man- 
ner I had provided, with the assistance of Providence, for 
my support. He saw evidently what stock of corn and 
rice I had laid up, which as it was more than sufficient for 
myself, so it was not sufficient, at least without good hus- 
bandry, for my family, now it was increased to the num- 
ber of four. But much less would it be sufficient, if his 
countrymen, who were, as he said, fourteen, still alive, 
should come over. Least of all, would it be sufficient to 
victual our vessel, if we should build one, for a voyage to 
any of the Christian colonies of America. So he told me 
he thought it would be more advisable to let him and the 
two others dig and cultivate more land, as much as I could 
spare seed to sow ; and that we should wait another har- 
vest, then we might have a supply of corn for his country- 
men, when they should come ; for want might be a tempta- 
tion to them to disagree, or not think themselves delivered, 
otherwise than out of one difficulty into another. 

His caution was so seasonable, and his advice so good, 
that I could not but be very well pleased with his proposal, 
as well as I was satisfied with his fidelity. So we fell to dig- 
ging, all four of us, as well as the wooden tools we were 
furnished with permitted. In about a month’s time, by the 
end of which it was seed-time, we had gotten as much land 
cured, and trimmed up, as we sowed twenty-two bushels 
of barley on, and sixteen jars of rice, which was, in short, 
all the seed we had to spare. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


227 


CHAPTER XXL 

H AYING now society enough, and our number being 
sufficient to put us out of fear of savages, if they 
bad come, unless their number bad been very great, we went 
freely all over the island, wherever we found occasion. 
As we had our escape or deliverance upon our thoughts, 
it was impossible, at least for me, to have the means of it 
out of mine. To this purpose, I marked out several trees, 
which I thought fit for our work, and I set Friday and his 
father to cutting them down. I caused the Spaniard to 
oversee and direct their work. I showed them with what 
indefatigable pains I had hewed a large tree into single 
planks, and I caused them to do the like, till , they had 
made about a dozen large planks of good oak, near two 
feet broad, thirty-five feet long, and from two inches to 
four inches thick. What prodigious labor it took up, any 
one may imagine. 

At the same time I contrived to increase my little flock 
of tame goats as much as I could. To this purpose, I 
made Friday and. the Spaniard go out one day, and myself 
with Friday the next day, for we took our turns. By this 
means, we got about twenty young kids to breed up with 
the rest; for, whenever we shot the dam, we saved the 
kids and added them to our flock. But, above all, the 
season for curing the grapes coming on, I caused such a 
prodigious quantity to be hung up in the sun, that I 


228 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


believe, bad we been at Alicant, where raisins are cured, 
we should have filled sixty or eighty barrels. These, 
with our bread, was a great part of our food. 

It was now harvest, and our crop in good order. It 
was not the most plentiful increase I had seen in the 
island. However, it was enough to answer our end. For, 
from our twenty-two bushels of barley, we brought in and 
thrashed out above two hundred and twenty bushels, and 
the like, in proportion, of the rice, which was store enough 
for our food to the next harvest, though all the fourteen 
Spaniards had been on shore with me ; or, if we had 
been ready for a voyage, it would very plentifully have 
victualled our ship to have carried us to any part of the 
world, that is to say, of America. When we had thus 
housed and secured our magazine of corn, we fell to work 
to make more wicker work ; namely, great baskets in 
which we kept it ; and the Spaniard was very handy and 
dexterous at this part. 

And now, having a full supply of food for all the guests 
I expected, I gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the 
main, to see what he could do with those he had left 
behind him there. I gave him strict charge not to bring 
any man with him, who would not first swear, in the 
presence of himself and the old savage, that he would in 
no way injure, fight with, or attack the person he should 
find in the island, who was so kind as to send for them, 
in order to their deliverance ; but that they would stand 
by and defend him against all such attempts, and wherever 
they went, would be entirely under and subjected to his 
command; and that this should be put in writing, and 
signed with their hands. 

Under these instructions, the Spaniard and the old 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


229 


savage went away in one of the canoes which they came 
in, when they were brought as prisoners to be devoured 
by the savages. I gave each of them a musket, and about 
eight charges of powder and ball, charging them to be 
very careful of both, and not to use either of them, but 
upon very urgent occasions. 

This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used 
by me, in view of my deliverance, for now twenty-seven 
years and some da} r s. I gave them provisions of bread 
and of dried grapes, sufficient for themselves for many 
days, and sufficient for all their countrymen for about 
eight days ; and, wishing them a good voyage, I let them 
go, agreeing with them about a signal they should hang 
out at their return, by which I should know them again, 
when they came back, at a distance, before they came on 
shore. 

They went away, with a fair gale, on the day that the 
moon was at the full, by my account, in the month of 
October, as near as I could tell. 

It was no less than eight days I waited for them, when 
a strange and unforeseen occurrence intervened, of which 
the like has not, perhaps, been heard of in history. I was 
fast asleep in my hut one morning, when my man Friday 
came running in to me, and called aloud, “ Master, master, 
they are come, they are come ! ” I jumped up, and, regard- 
less of danger, went out, as soon as I could get my clothes 
on, through my little grove. I went without my arms, 
which it was not my custom to do. But I was surprised, 
when, turning my eyes to the sea, I presently saw a boat, 
at about a league and a half distance, standing in for the 
shore, with a shoulder-of-mutton sail, as ’they call it, and 
the wind blowing pretty fair to bring them in. Also, I 


280 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


observed, that they did not come from that side which the 
shore lay on, but from the southernmost end of the island. 
Upon this, I called Friday in, and bade him lie close, for 
these were not the people we looked for, and that we did 
not know yet whether they were friends or enemies. In 
the next place, I went in to fetch my perspective glass, to 
see what I could make of them. Having taken the laclder 
out, I climbed up to the top of the hill, as I used to do 
when I was apprehensive of anything, and to take my 
view plainer, without being discovered. I had scarce set 
my foot on the hill, when my eye plainly discovered a 
ship lying at anchor, at about two leagues and a half dis- 
tant from me, S. S. E., but not above a league and a half 
from the shore. It appeared plainly to' be an English 
ship, and the boat an English long-boat. 

I cannot express the confusion I was iii, though the 
joy of seeing a ship, and one which I had reason to believe 
was manned by my own countrymen, and consequently 
friends, was such as I cannot describe. But yet I had 
some secret doubts hanging about me, I cannot tell from 
whence they came, bidding me to be on my guard. I 
began to consider what business an English ship could 
have here ; since it was not the way to or from any part 
of the world where the English had any traffic. And I 
knew there had been no storm to drive them in there, as 
in distress ; and that, if they were English really, it was 
probable they were here upon no good design, and that I 
had better continue as I was, than fall into the hands of 
thieves and murderers. 

I had not kept myself long in this posture, when I saw 
the boat draw near the shore, as if they looked for a creek 
to thrust in at, for the convenience of landing. However, 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


231 


as they did not come quite far enough, they did not see 
the little inlet where I formerly landed my rafts, but run. 
their boat on shore upon the beach, at about half a mile 
from me, which was very happy for me; for, otherwise, 
they would have landed just, as I may say, at my door, 
and would soon have beaten me out of my castle, and, 
perhaps, have plundered me of all I had. 

When they were on shore, I was fully satisfied they 
were Englishmen ; at least, most of them. One or two I 
thought were Dutch, but it did not prove so. There 
were, in all, eleven men, whereof three I found were 
unarmed, and (as I thought) bound. When the first four 
or five of them were jumped on shore, they took these 
three out of the boat as prisoners. One of the three I 
could perceive using the most passionate gestures of en- 
treaty, affliction, and despair ; the other two lifted up their 
hands sometimes, and appeared concerned indeed, but not 
so much as the first. 

I was perfectly confounded at the sight, and knew not 
what the meaning of it could be. Friday called out to 
me in English, as well as he could, “ O master, you see 
English mans eat prisoners as well as savage mans.” 
44 Why,” said I, 44 do you think they are going to eat them, 
then?” 44 Yes,” says Friday, 44 they will eat them.” 44 No, 
no,” said I, 44 Friday, I am afraid they will murder them, 
indeed, but you may be sure they will not eat them.” 

All this while I had no thoughts of what the matter 
really was, but expected every moment the three’ prisoners 
would be killed. Once I saw one of the villains lift up 
his arm, with a great cutlass or sword, to strike one of 
the poor men, and I expected to see him fall every 
moment. I wished heartily now for my Spaniard, and 


232 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


the savage that was gone with him ; or that I had any 
way to have come undiscovered within shot of them, that 
I might have rescued the three men, for they had no fire- 
arms that I saw. 

After I had observed the outrageous usage of the three 
men by the insolent seamen, I saw that the fellows ran 
scattering about the land, as if they wanted to see the 
country. I observed, also, that the three other men had 
liberty to go where they pleased, but that they sat down 
all three upon the ground, very pensive, and looked like 
men in despair. 

It was just at the top of high water, when these people 
came on shore ; and, while partly they stood parleying 
with the prisoners they brought, and partly while they 
rambled about to see what kind of place they were in, 
they had carelessly stayed till the tide was spent, and the 
water was ebbed considerably away, leaving the boat 
aground. They had left two men in the boat, who, as I 
found afterwards, having drank a little too much brandy, 
fell asleep. However, one of them wakening sooner than 
the other, and finding the boat too fast aground for him 
to stir it, hallooed for the rest, who were straggling about. 
Upon this they all soon came to the boat, but it was past 
all their strength to launch her, the boat being very heavy, 
and the shore on that side being a soft, oozy sand, almost 
like a quicksand. In this condition, like true seamen, 
who are, perhaps, the least of all mankind given to fore- 
thought, they gave it over, and away they strolled about 
the country again. I heard one of them say aloud to an- 
other (calling them off from the boat), “Why, let her 
alone, Jack, can’t ye ! She’ll float next tide.” By which 
I was fully confirmed what countrymen they were. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


233 


All this while I kept myself close, not once daring to 
stir out of my castle, any farther than to my place of 
observation near the top of the hill. I knew it would be 
no less than ten hours before the boat could be afloat 
again ; and by that time it would be dark, and I might be 
more at liberty to see their motions, and to hear their 
discourse, if they had any. 

In the meantime, I fitted myself up for a battle, as be- 
fore, though with more caution, knowing I had to do with 
another kind of enemy than I had at first. I ordered 
Friday also to load himself with arms. I took myself two 
fowling-pieces, and I gave him three muskets. My figure 
indeed, was very fierce. I had my formidable goat-skin 
coat on, with the great cap I have mentioned, a naked 
sword by my side, two pistols in my belt, and a gun upon 
each shoulder. 

It was my design, as I said before, not to have made 
any attempt until it was dark; but about two o’clock, 
being the heat of the day, I found that they were all gone 
straggling into the woods, and, as I thought, were all laid 
down to sleep. The three poor, distressed men, too 
anxious for their condition to get any sleep, were, how- 
ever, sitting under the shelter of a great tree, at about 
a quarter of. a mile from me, and, as I thought, out of 
sight of any of the rest. 

Upon this I resolved to discover myself to them, and 
learn something of their condition. Immediately I marched 
with my man Friday at a good distance behind me, as 
formidable for his arms as I, but not making quite so star- 
ing a spectre-like figure as I did. I came as near them 
undiscovered as I could ; and then, before any of them 
saw me, I called aloud to them, in Spanish, “ What are ye, 
gentlemen ? ” 


234 LIFE AND ADVENTURES 

They started up at the noise, but were ten times more 
confounded when they saw me, and the uncouth figure I 
made. They made no answer at all, but I thought I per- 
ceived them just going to fly from me, when I spoke to 
them in English : “ Gentlemen,” said I, “ do not be sur- 
prised at me ; perhaps you may have a friend near when 
you do not expect it.” “He must- be sent directly from 
Heaven, then,” said one of them very gravely to me, and 
pulling off his hat at the same time, “for our condition is 
past the help of man.” “ All help is from heaven, sir,” 
said I ; “ but can you put a stranger in the way how to 
help you, for you seem to be in some great distress? I saw 
you when you landed ; and, when you seemed to make 
application to the brutes that came with you, I saw one 
lift up his sword to kill you.” 

The poor man, with tears running down his face, and 
trembling, looking like one astonished, returned, “ Am I 
talking to God or man ? Is it a real man, or an angel ? ” 
“Be in no fear' about that, sir,” said I, “if God had sent 
an angel to relieve you, he would have come better 
clothed, and armed after another manner, than you see 
me. Pray, lay aside your fears. I am a man, an English- 
man, and disposed to assist you, you see. I have one 
servant only. We have arms and ammunition; tell us 
freely, can we serve you ? What is your case ? ” 

“ Our case, sir,” said he, “ is too long to tell you, while 
our murderers are so near. But, in short, sir, I was com- 
mander of that ship. My men have mutinied against me. 
They have been hardly prevailed upon not to murder me, 
and, at last, have set me on shore in this desolate place, 
with these two men with me, one my mate, the other a 
passenger, where we expected to perish, believing the 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


235 


place to be uninhabited, and know not yet what to think 
of it.” 

“ Where are those brutes, your enemies ? ” said I ; “do 
you know where they are gone ? ” “ There they are, sir,” 

said he, pointing to a thicket of trees ; “ my heart trembles 
for fear they have seen us, and heard you speak; if they 
have, they will murder us all.” 

“Have they any fire-arms?” said I. He answered, 
“They had only two pieces, and one which they left in 
the boat.” “Well, then,” said I, “leave the rest to me. 
I see they are asleep. It is an easy thing to kill them all ; 
but shall we rather take them prisoners ? ” He told me 
there were two desperate villains among them, to whom 
it was scarce safe to show any mercy; but if they were 
secured, he believed all the rest would return to their 
duty. I asked him which they were. He told me he 
could not, at that distance, describe them ; but he would 
obey my orders in anything I would direct. “Well,” 
said I, “let us retreat out of their view or hearing, lest 
they awake, and we will resolve farther.” So they will- 
ingly went back with me, till the woods covered us from 
them. “ Look you, sir,” said I ; “if I venture upon your 
deliverance, are you willing to make two conditions with 
me ? ” He anticipated my proposals, by telling me, that 
both he and the ship, if recovered, should be wholly 
directed and commanded by me in everything ; and if the 
ship was not recovered, he would live and die with me, in 
what part of the world soever I would send him, and the 
two others said the same. 

“Well,” said I, “my conditions are but two: first, that 
while you stay on this island with me, you will not pre- 
tend to any authority here; and if I put arms in your 


236 


LIFE AND AD VENTUBES 


hands, you will, upon all occasions, give them up to me, 
and do no prejudice to me or mine, upon this island; and, 
in the meantime, be governed by my orders. Secondly, 
that if the ship is, or may be, recovered, you will carry 
me and my man to England passage free.” He gave me 
all the assurances that the invention and faith of man 
could devise, that he would comply with these most 
reasonable demands, and, besides, would owe his life to 
me, and acknowledge it, upon all occasions, as long as he 
lived. 

“ Well, then,” said I, “here are three muskets for you, with 
powder and ball. Tell me next what you think is proper 
to be done.” He showed all the testimony of his grati- 
tude that he ivas able ; but offered to be wholly guided by 
me. I told him I thought it was hard venturing anything, 
but the best method I could think of was to fire upon 
them at once, as they lay ; and if any were not killed at 
the first volley, and offered to submit, we might save 
them, and so put it wholly upon God’s providence to 
direct the shot. 

He said, very modestly, that he was loath to kill them, 
if he could help it, but that those two were incorrigible 
villains, and had been the authors of all the mutiny in the 
ship. If they escaped we should be undone still, for they 
would go on board and bring the whole ship’s company, 
and destroy us all. “Well, then,” said I, “necessity 
legitimates my advice ; for it is the only way to save our 
lives.” However, seeing him still cautious of -shedding 
blood, I told him they should go themselves, and manage 
as they found convenient. 

In the middle of this discourse we heard some of them 
awake, and soon after we saw two of them on their feet. 




OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


237 


I asked him if either of them were the men who, he had 
said, were the heads of the mutiny. He said, “No.” 
“Well, then,” said I, “you may let them escape; and 
Providence seems to have awakened them on purpose to 
save themselves. “Now,” said I, “if the rest escape you, 
it is your fault.” 

Animated with this, he took the musket I had given 
him in his hand, and a pistol in his belt, and his two com- 
rades with him, each man a piece in his hand. The two 
men who were with him, going first, made some noise at 
which one of the seamen, who was awake, turned about, 
and seeing them coming, cried out to the rest; but it was 
too late then, for the moment he cried out, the two men 
fired, the captain wisely reserving his own piece. They 
had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew, that 
one of them was killed on the spot, and the other very 
much wounded ; but, not being dead, he started up upon 
his feet, and called- eagerly for help to the other. But 
the captain, stepping to him, told him it was too late to 
cry for help, he should call upon God to forgive his vil- 
lany ; and, with that word, knocked him down with the 
stock of his musket, so that he never spoke more. There 
were three more in the company, and one of them was 
also slightly wounded. By this time I was come ; and 
when they saw their danger, and that it was in vain to 
resist, they begged for mercy. The captain told them he 
would spare their lives, if they would give him any assur- 
• ance of their abhorrence of the treachery they had been 
guilty of, and would swear to be faithful to him in recover- 
ing the ship, and afterwards in carrying, her back to 
Jamaica, from whence they came. They gave him all the 
protestations of their sincerity that could be desired ; and 




238 


LIFE AND AD VENTUBES 


lie was willing to believe tliem, and spare their lives, which 
I was not against. Only I obliged him to keep them 
bound, hand and foot, while they were upon the island. 

While this was doing, I sent Friday, with the captain’s 
mate, to the boat, with orders to secure her, and bring 
away the oars and sail, which they did. By the by, three 
straggling men, that were parted from the rest, came 
back again upon hearing the guns fired ; and seeing their 
captain, who was before their prisoner, now their con- 
queror, they submitted to be bound also. 

It now remained that the captain and I should inquire 
into one another’s circumstances. I began first, and told 
him my whole history, which he heard with an attention 
even to amazement, and particularly at the wonderful 
manner of my being furnished with provisions and ammu- 
nition ; and, indeed, as my story is a whole collection of 
wonders, it affected him deeply. But when he reflected 
from thence upon himself, and how I seemed to have been 
preserved there on purpose to save his life, the tears ran 
down his face, and he could not speak a word more. 

After this communication was at an end, I carried him 
and his two men into my apartment, leading them in just 
where I came out, namely, at the top of the house, where 
I refreshed them with such provisions as I had, and 
showed them all the contrivances I had made during my 
long inhabiting this place. 

All I showed them, all I said to them, was perfectly 
amazing. But, above all, the captain admired my fortifi- 
cation, and how perfectly I had concealed my retreat with 
a grove of trees; which, having been now planted near 
twenty years, and the trees growing much faster than in 
England, was become a little wood, and so thick, it was 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


239 


impassable in any part of it, but at that one side where I 
had reserved my little winding passage into it. This I 
told him was my castle and my residence ; but that I had 
a seat in the country as most princes have, whither I could 
retreat upon occasion, and I would show him that too 
another time ; but, at present, our business was to consider 
how to recover the ship. He agreed with me as to that ; 
but told me he was perfectly at a loss what measures to 
take. There were still six-and-twenty hands on board; 
who, having, entered into a cursed conspiracy, by which 
they had all forfeited their lives to the law, would be 
hardened in it now by desperation, and would carry it 
on, knowing that, if they were reduced, they should be 
brought to the gallows as soon as they came to England, 
or to any English colonies. Therefore, there would be no 
attacking them with so small a number as we were. 

I mused for some time upon what he had said, and 
found it was a very rational conclusion. It occurred to 
me that, in a little while, the ship’s crew, wondering what 
had become of their comrades, and of the boat, would cer- 
tainly come on shore, in their other boat, to seek for them ; 
and that then, perhaps, they might come armed, and be 
too strong for us. This, he allowed, was rational. 

Upon this, I told him the first thing we had to do was 
to stave the boat, which lay upon the beach, so that they 
might not carry her off ; and taking everything out of her, 
leave her so far useless as not to be fit to swim. Accord- 
ingly, we went on board, took the arms which were left 
on board out of her, and whatever else we found there, 
which was a bottle of brandy, and another of rum, a few 
biscuit cakes, a horn of powder, and a great lump of sugar, 
in a piece of canvas. The sugar was five or six pounds. 


240 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


All of which was very welcome to me, especially the 
brandy and sugar, which I had been without many years. 

When we had carried all these things on shore, we 
knocked a great hole in her bottom, that if they had come 
strong enough to master us, yet they could not carry oft 
the boat. 

Indeed, it was not much in my thoughts that we could 
be capable to recover the ship. But my view was, that if 
they went away without the boat, I did not much ques- 
tion to make her fit again to carry us away to the Lee- 
ward Islands, and call upon our friends the. Spaniards in 
my way. 

While we were thus preparing our designs, and had 
first, by main strength, heaved the boat up on the beach, 
so high that the tide would not float her off at high-water 
mark; and, besides, had broken a hole in her bottom too 
big to be quickly stopped, and were sat down musing 
what we should do, we heard the ship fire a gun, and saw 
her make a waft with her ancient , 1 as a signal for the 
boat to come on board. But no boat stirred, and they 
fired several times, making other signals for the boat. 

At last, when all their signals and firings proved fruit- 
less, and they found the boat did not stir, we saw them 
(by the help of my glasses) hoist another boat off, and 
row towards the shore. We found, as they approached, 
that there were no less than ten men in her, and that they 
had fire-arms with them. 

As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we 
had a full view of them as they came. The captain knew 
the persons and characters of all the men in the boat, of 
whom he said that there were three very honest fellows, 
1 The flag of the ship. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


241 


who, he was sure, were led into this conspiracy by the 
rest, being overpowered and frightened. But that, as for 
the boatswain, who, it seems, was the chief officer among 
them, and all the rest, they were as outrageous as any of 
the ship’s crew, and were, no doubt, made desperate in 
their new enterprise. 

We had, upon the first appearance of the boat’s coming 
from the ship, considered of separating our prisoners, and 
had indeed secured them effectually. Two of them, of 
whom the. captain was less assured than ordinary, I sent 
with Friday, and one of the three delivered men, to my 
cave, where they were remote enough, and out of danger of 
being heard or discovered, or of finding their way out of 
the woods. They left them bound, but gave them provis- 
ions, and promised them, if the} 7 ' continued there quietly, 
to give them their liberty in a day or two ; but that, if 
they attempted their escape, they should be put to death 
without mercy. They promised faithfully to bear their 
confinement with patience. 

The other prisoners had better usage. Two of them 
were kept pinioned indeed, because the captain did not 
like to trust them, but the other two were taken into my 
service, upon their captain’s recommendation, and upon 
their solemnly engaging to live and die with us. 

As soon as they got to the place where their other boat 
lay, they ran their boat into the beach, and came all on shore, 
hauling the boat up after them, which I was glad to see ; 
for I was afraid they would rather have left the boat, and 
anchor some distance from the shore, with some hands in 
her to guard her, and so we should not be able to seize 
the boat. 

Being on shore, they ran all to the other boat ; and it 


242 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


was easy to see they were under a great surprise to find 
her stripped, and a great hole in the bottom. After this, 
they set up a great shout ; but it was all to no purpose. 
Then they came all close in a ring, and fired a volley of 
their small arms, which indeed we heard, and the echoes 
made the woods ring ; but it was all one. Those in the 
cave we were sure could not hear, and those in our keep- 
ing, though they heard it well enough, yet durst give no 
answer to them. 

They were so surprised at this, as they told us after- 
wards, that they resolved to go all on board again to their 
ship, and let them know there that the men were all mur- 
dered, and the long boat staved. Accordingly, they imme- 
diately launched their boat again, and got, all of them, on 
board. 

The captain was terribly amazed, and even confounded 
at this, believing they would go on board the ship again, 
and set sail, giving their comrades up for lost, and so he 
should still lose the ship which he was in hopes we should 
have recovered ; but he was quickly as much frightened 
the other way. 

They had not been long put off with the boat, but we 
perceived them- all coming on shore again. They left 
three men in the boat, and the rest went up into the coun- 
try to look for their fellows. This was a great disappoint- 
ment to us, for jiow we were at a loss what to do ; for our 
seizing those seven men on shore would be no advantage 
to us if we let the boat escape, because they would then 
row away to the ship, and then the rest of them would be 
sure to weigh, and set sail, and so our hope of recovering 
the ship would be lost. However, we had no remedy but 
to wait and see what the issue of things might present. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


243 


The seven men came on shore, and the three who remained 
in the boat put her off to a good distance from the shore, 
and came to an anchor, to wait for them, so that it was 
impossible for us to come at them in the boat. 

Those that came on shore kept close together, marching 
towards the top of the little hill, under which my habita- 
tion lay ; and we could see them plainly, though they could 
not perceive us. And when they were come to the brow 
of the hill, where they could see a great way into the val- 
leys and woods whicli lay towards the north-east part, and 
where the island lay lowest, they shouted till they were 
weary, and then they sat down to consider of it. Had 
they gone to sleep there, as the other party did, they had 
done for us ; but they were too full of apprehension of 
danger to venture to go to sleep, though they could not 
tell what the danger was. 

The captain made a very just proposal to me, upon this 
consultation of theirs ; namely, that perhaps they would 
all fire a volley again, to endeavor to make their fellows 
hear, and that we should all sally upon them just at the 
juncture when their pieces were all discharged, and they 
would certainly yield, and we should have them without 
bloodshed. I liked the proposal, provided it was done 
while we were near enough to come up to them before 
they could load their pieces again. 

But this event did not happen, and we lay still a long 
time, very irresolute what course to take. At length I told 
them there would be nothing to be done, in my opinion, 
till night ; and then, if they did not return to the boat, 
perhaps we might use some stratagem with them in the 
boat to get them on shore. 

We waited a great while, and were very uneasy ; when 


244 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


we saw them all start up, and march towards the sea. It 
seems they had such dreadful apprehensions upon them of 
the danger of the place, that they resolved to go on board 
the ship again, give their companions over for lost, and so 
go on their intended voyage with the ship. 

As soon as I perceived them go towards the shore, I 
imagined they had given over their search, and were for 
going back again ; and the captain was ready to sink 
when I fold him my thoughts. But I presently thought 
of a stratagem to fetch them back again, and which 
answered my end to a tittle. 

I ordered Friday and the captain’s mate to go over the 
little creek westward, towards the place wligre Friday was 
rescued. At about half a mile distance, I bade them halloo 
as loud as they could ; and, as soon as they heard the sea- 
men answer them, they should return it again, and then, 
keeping out of sight, take a round, and then wheel about 
again to me, by such ways as, I directed. 

They were just going into the boat, when Friday and 
the mate hallooed. Tliey presently heard them, and an- 
swering, run along the shore westward, towards the voice 
they heard, . when they were stopped by the creek, — the 
water being up, they could not get over, — and called 
for the boat to come and set them over, as, indeed, I 
expected. 

When they had set themselves over, I observed that they 
took one of the three men out of her, and left only two in 
the boat, having fastened her to a stump of a little tree 
on the shore. 

This was what I wished for ; and immediately leaving 
Friday and the captain’s mate to their business, I took the 
rest with me, and crossing the creek out of their sight, we 


OF BOB ms OX CBUSOE. 


245 


surprised the two men before they were aware. One of 
them lying on the shore between sleeping and waking, 
and, going to start up, the captain, who was foremost, ran 
in upon him and knocked him down, and then called to 
him in the boat to yield or he was a dead man. 

There needed very few arguments to persuade a single 
man to yield, when he saw five men upon him, and his 
comrade knocked down. Besides, this was, it seems, one 
of the three men who were not so hearty in the mutiny 
as the rest of the crew, and, therefore, was easily per- 
suaded, not only to yield, but afterwards to join very 
sincerely with us. 

In the meantime, Friday and the captain’s mate so well 
managed their business with the rest, that they drew them, 
by hallooing and answering, from one wood to another, 
till they not only heartily tired them, but left them where 
they were sure they could not reach back before it was 
dark. Indeed, they were heartily tired themselves also by 
the time they came back to us. 

It was several hours after Friday came back to me before 
they came back to their boat. We could hear the foremost 
of them long before they came quite up, calling to those 
behind to come along, and could hear them answer, and 
complain how lame and tired they were, and not able to 
come any faster, which was very welcome news to us. 

At length they came up to the boat. But it is impos- 
sible to express their confusion when they found the boat 
fast aground in the creek, and their two men gone. We 
could hear them telling one another they were gotten into 
an enchanted island; that either there were inhabitants 
in it, and they should all be murdered, or else there were 
devils or spirits in it, and they should be carried away 
and devoured. 


246 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


They hallooed again, and called their two comrades by 
their names, but got no answer. After some time, we 
could see them, by the little light there was, run about like 
men in despair ; and that sometimes they would go and 
sit down in the boat to rest themselves, then come on 
shore again, and walk about, and so the same thing over 
again. 

My men would have fallen upon them in the dark, but 
I was willing to spare them, and kill "as few of them as I 
could, being unwilling to hazard the killing any of our 
men, knowing the others were well armed. I resolved to 
wait and make sure of them. I drew my ambuscade 
nearer, and ordered Friday and the captain to creep upon 
their hands and knees, and get as near them as they pos- 
sibly could before they offered to fire. 

They had not been long in that posture, when the boat- 
swain, who was the principal ringleader, and had now 
shown himself the most dispirited of all the rest, walked 
towards them with two more of their crew. The captain 
was so eager at having the principal rogue so much in his 
power, that he could hardly have patience to let him come 
so near as to be sure of him, for he only heard his tongue 
before. But when they came nearer, the captain and Fri- 
day, starting up on their feet, let fly at them. 

The boatswain was killed on the spot. The next was 
shot through the body, and fell just by him, though he did 
not die till an hour or two after ; and the third ran for it. 

At the noise of the fire, I immediately advanced with 
my whole army, which was now eight men, namely, my- 
self, generalissimo ; Friday, my lieutenant-general ; the 
captain and his two men; and the three prisoners of war, 
whom we had trusted with arms. 


OF ROBINS OFT CRUSOE. 


247 


We came upon them indeed in the dark, so that they 
could not see our number ; and I made the man they had left 
in the boat, who was now one of us, to call them by name, to 
try if he could- bring them to parley, which fell out just as 
we desired. So he calls out as loud as he could to one of 
them, 44 Tom Smith ! Tom Smith ! ” Tom Smith answered 
immediately, 44 Who’s that, Robinson?” for it seems he 
knew his voice. The other answered, 44 Ay, ay ; for God’s 
sake, Tom Smith, throw down your arms and yield, or you 
are all dead men this moment ! ” 

44 Who must we yield to ? — where are they ? ” says Tom 
Smith again. 44 Here they are,” says he. 44 Here is our 
captain, and fifty men with him, have been hunting you 
this two hours. The boatswain is killed, Will Frye is 
wounded, and I am a prisoner ; if you do not yield, you 
are all lost.” 

“Will they give us quarter, then,” says Tom Smith, 
44 and we will yield.” 44 111 go and ask, if you promise to 
yield,” says Robinson. So he asked the captain ; and the 
captain himself then called out, 44 You, Smith, you know 
my voice ; if you lay down your arms immediately, and 
submit, you shall all have your lives, all but Will Atkins.” 

Upon this Will Atkins cried out, 44 For God’s sake, cap- 
tain, give me quarter ! What have I done ? They have all 
been as bad as I ! ” which was not true, for it seems this 
Will Atkins was the first man that laid hold of the captain 
when they first mutinied. However, the captain told him 
he must lay down his arms at discretion, and trust to the 
governor’s mercy ; by which he meant me, for they called 
me governor. 

In a word, they all laid down their arms, and begged 
their lives; and I sent the man that had parleyed with 


248 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


them, and two more, who bound them all. Then my great 
army of fifty men, which, particularly with those three, 
were in all but eight, came up and seized upon them all, 
and upon their boat, only that I kept myself and one more 
out of sight, for reasons of state. 

Our next work was to repair the boat, and to think of 
seizing the ship. As for the captain, now he had leisure to 
parley with them, he expostulated with them upon the 
villany of their practices with him, and how certainly it 
must bring them to misery and distress in the end, and 
perhaps to the gallows. 

They all appeared very penitent, and begged hard for 
their lives. As for that, he told them that the governor 
was an Englishman, and that he might hang them all there 
if he pleased ; but, as he had given them quarter, he sup- 
posed he would send them to England, except Atkins, 
whom he was commanded by the governor to advise to 
prepare for death, for that he would be hanged in the 
morning. Though this was all a fiction of his own, yet it 
had the desired effect. Atkins fell upon his knees to beg 
the captain to intercede with the governor for his life; and 
all the rest begged of him, for God’s sake, not to be sent to 
England. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE . 


249 


CHAPTER XXII. 

I T now occurred to me that the time of our deliverance 
was come, and that it would he a most easy thing to 
bring these fellows in to be hearty in getting possession of 
the ship. So I retired in the dark from them, that they 
might not see what kind of a governor they had, and called 
the captain to me. When I called, as at a good distance, 
one of the men was ordered to speak again, and to say to 
the captain, “ Captain, the commander calls for you ; ” and 
presently the captain replied, “ Tell his excellency I am 
just a-coming.” So they all believed the commander was 
just by with his fifty men. 

Upon the captain’s coming to me, I told him my project 
for seizing the ship, which pleased him, and resolved to 
put it in execution the next morning. 

But in order to execute it with more art, and to be sure 
of success, I told him we must divide the prisoners, and 
that he should go and take Atkins, and two more of the 
worst of them,- and send them bound to the cave where 
the others lay. So Friday, and the two men who came on 
shore with the captain, conveyed them to the cave as to a 
prison. The others I ordered to my bower, where they 
were pinioned, and left secure enough. 

To these, in the morning, I sent the captain, who was to 
enter into a parley with them ; in a word, to try them and 
tell me whether he thought they might be trusted or no, 


250 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


to go on board and surprise the ship. He talked to 
them of the injury done him, of the condition they were 
brought to, and that though the governor had given them 
quarter for their lives, as to the present action, yet that if 
they were sent to England, they would all be hanged in 
chains; but that if they would join in so just an attempt 
as to recover the ship, he would have the governor’s en- 
gagement for their pardon. 

Any one may guess how readily such a proposal would 
be accepted by men in their condition. They fell down on 
their knees to the captain, and promised, with deep im- 
precations, that they would be faithful to him to the last 
drop, and that they should owe their lives to him, and 
would go with him all over the world ; that they would 
own him for a father to them as long as they lived. 
“Well,” says the captain, “I must go and tell the gov- 
ernor what you say, and see. what I can do to bring him to 
consent to it.” So he brought me an account of the tem- 
per he found them in, and that he verily believed they 
would be faithful. However, that we might be very se- 
cure, I told him he should go back again, and choose out 
five of them, and tell them that they should see he did not 
want men, but that he would take out those five to be his 
assistants, and that the governor would keep the other 
two, and the three that were sent prisoners to the castle 
(my cave), as hostages for the fidelity of those five ; and 
if they proved unfaithful in the execution, the five hostages 
should be hanged in chains alive upon the shore. 

This looked severe, and convinced them that the gov- 
ernor was in earnest. However, they had no way left 
them but to accept it ; and it was now the business of the 
prisoners, as much as of the captain, to persuade the other 


OF ROBINS ON CRUSOE. 


251 


five to do tlieir duty. Our strength was now thus ordered 
for the expedition. First, the captain, his mate, and pas- 
senger. Second, then the two prisoners of the first gang, 
to whom, having their characters from the captain, I had 
given their liberty, and trusted them with arms. Third, 
the other two, whom I had kept in my bower, pinioned,* 
these were now released. Fourth, these five, released at 
last; so that there were twelve in all, besides five we kept 
in the cave, as hostages for the fidelity of the others. 

I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with 
those hands on board the ship. As for me and my man 
Friday, I did not think it proper for us to stir, having 
seven men left behind. It was employment enough for us 
to keep them asunder, and supply them with victuals. 

As to the five in the cave, I resolved to keep them fast. 
But Friday went twice a day to them, to supply them 
with necessaries ; and I made the other two carry provi- 
sions to a certain distance, where Friday was to take it. 

When I showed myself to the two hostages, it was with 
the captain, who told them I was the person the governor 
had ordered to look after them, and that it was the gov- 
ernor’s pleasure they should not stir anywhere, but by my 
direction ; that if they did, they should be fetched to the 
castle, and be laid in irons. So that we never suffered 
them to see me as governor; so now I appeared as another 
person, and spoke of the governor, the garrison, the castle, 
and the like, upon all occasions. 

The captain now had no difficulty before him but to fur- 
nish his two boats, stop the breach of one, and man them. 
He made his passenger captain of one, with four other 
men. He himself, with his mate and five more, went in 
the other. And they contrived their business very well, 


252 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


for they came up to the ship about midnight. As soon as 
they came within call of the ship, he made Robinson hail 
them, and tell them he had brought off the men and the 
boat, but that it was a long time before they had found 
them, and the like, holding them in chat till they came to 
the ship’s side. The captain and the mate, entering first 
with their arms, immediately knocked down the second 
mate and the carpenter with the butt-end of their mus- 
kets, being very faithfully seconded by their men. They 
secured all the rest that were upon the main and quarter- 
decks, and began to fasten the hatches to keep them down 
w r ho were below, when the other boat, and their men 
entering the forechains, secured the forecastle of the ship, 
and the scuttle which went down into the cook-room, 
making three men they found there prisoners. When this 
was done, and all safe upon the deck, the captain ordered 
the mate with three men to break into the round-house, 
where the new rebel captain lay. He, haying taken the 
alarm and gotten up, now stood with two men and a boy, 
having fire-arms in their hands. When the mate, with a 
crow, split open the door, the new captain and his men 
fired boldly among them, and wounded the mate with a 
musket ball, which broke his arm, and wounded two more 
of the men, but killed nobody. 

The mate, calling for help, rushed, however, into the 
round-house, wounded as he was, and, with his pistol, shot 
the new captain through the head. Upon this, the rest 
yielded, and the ship was taken effectually, without any 
more lives lost. As soon as the ship was thus secured, 
the captain ordered seven guns to be fired, which was the 
signal agreed upon with me, to give me notice of his suc- 
cess ; which, you may be sure, I was glad to hear, having 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


253 


sat watching upon the shore for it till two o’clock in the 
morning. 

Having heard the signal plainly, I laid me down, and 
being very much fatigued, I fell sound asleep, when shortly 
I was awakened by the noise of a gun. Starting up, I heard 
a man call me by the name of “ Governor,” and presently 
I knew the captain’s voice. Climbing up to the top of the 
hill, there he stood, and pointing to the ship, he embraced 
me in his arms. “ My dear friend and deliverer,” says he, 
“ there’s your ship ; for she is all yours, and so are we, and 
all that belongs to her.” I cast my eyes to the ship, and 
there she rode, about half a mile off the shore, for they had 
weighed her anchor as soon as they were masters of her, 
and the weather being fair, had brought her to an anchor 
just against the mouth of a little creek ; and the tide being 
up, they had brought the pinnace 1 in near the place where 
I had first landed my rafts, and so landed just at my door. 

I was, at first, ready to sink down with surprise, for I 
saw my deliverance indeed visibly put into my hands, all 
things easy, and a large ship just ready to carry me away 
whither I pleased to go. He perceived my situation, and 
immediately pulls a bottle out of Iris pocket, and gave me 
a dram of cordial, which he had brought on purpose for 
me. After I drank it, I sat down upon the ground, and it 
was a good while before I could speak to him. 

After some time, I came to myself, and then I embraced 
him in my turn, as my deliverer, and we rejoiced together. 
I told him, I looked upon him as a man sent from heaven 
to deliver me, and that the whole transaction seemed to 
be a chain of wonders. And such things as these were the 
testimonies we had of a secret hand of Providence govern- 
1 A ship’s boat, generally fitted for eight oars. 


254 


LIFE AND ADVENTURES 


ing the world, and an evidence that the eyes of an infinite 
power could search into the remotest corner of the world, 
and send help to the miserable whenever he pleased. Nor 
did I forget to return thanks to God for all his mercies. 

When we had talked a while, the captain told me he had 
brought me some little refreshment, such as the ship af- 
forded, and such as the wretches, who had been so long 
his masters, had not plundered him of. Upon this he 
called aloud to his men, and told them to bring the things 
ashore that were for the governor ; and it was a splendid 
present. First, he had brought me a case of bottles full 
of cordial waters, six large bottles of Madeira wine, two 
pounds of excellent tobacco, twelve good pieces of the 
ship’s beef, and six pieces of pork, with a bag of peas, and 
about a hundred weight of biscuit. He brought me also 
a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full of lemons, and 
two bottles of lime-juice, and abundance of other things. 
But, besides these, and what was a thousand times more 
useful to me, he brought me six clean new shirts, six very 
good neckcloths, two pair of gloves, one pair of shoes, a 
hat, and one pair of stockings, and a very good suit of 
clothes of his own, which had been worn very little ; but 
the clothes felt very awkward and uneasy upon me at first. 

After all these things were brought into my little apart- 
ment, we began to consult what was to be done with, the 
prisoners we had, and whether we might venture to take 
them away with us or no, especially two of them, whom 
we knew to be incorrigible and refractory to the last 
degree ; and the captain said he knew that they were such 
rogues, that there was no obliging them. If he did carry 
them away, it must be in irons, as malefactors, to be 
delivered over to justice, at the first England colony he 


OF ROBINSON CBTJSOE. 


255 


could come at. Upon this, I told him I durst undertake 
to bring the two men he spoke of to make it their own 
request that he should leave them upon the island, of 
which the captain said he should be very glad. I accord- 
ingly sent for them, and entered seriously into discourse 
with them upon their circumstances. One of them an- 
swered in the name of the rest, that they had nothing to say 
but this : that when they were taken, the captain promised 
them their lives, and they humbly implored my mercy. 
But I told them I knew not what mercy to show them; 
for, as for myself, I had resolved to quit the island with 
all my men, and had taken passage with the captain to go 
to England. As for the captain, he would not carry them 
to England, but as prisoners in irons, to be tried for 
mutiny and running away with the ship ; the consequence 
of which, they must needs know, would be the gallows. 
So that I could not tell which was best for them 
unless they had a mind to take their fate in the island. 
If they desired that, I did not care, as I had liberty to 
leave it. I had some inclination to give them their lives, 
if they could shift on shore. They seemed very thankful 
for it ; and said they would rather venture to stay there, 
than to be carried to England to be hanged. 

I then told them I would let them into the story of my 
• living there, and put them into the way of making it easy 
to them. Accordingly, I gave them the whole history of 
the place, and' of my coming to it ; shewed them my forti- 
fications, the way I made my bread, planted my corn, 
cured my grapes, and, in a word, all that was necessary to 
make them eas}\ I told them the story of the Spaniards 
that were to be expected, for whom I left a letter, and 
made them promise to treat them in common with them- 
selves. 


256 


LIFE AND AD VENTURES 


I left them five muskets, three fowling-pieces, and three 
swords. I had about a barrel and a half of powder, which 
I left them. I gave them a description of the way I man- 
aged the goats, and directions to milk and fatten them, to 
make both butter and cheese. In a word, I gave them 
every part of my own story ; and I told them I would pre- 
vail with the captain to leave them two barrels of gun- 
powder more, and some garden seeds, which I told them I 
would have been very glad of. Also I gave them the bag 
of peas which the captain had brought me, and bade 
them to be sure to sow and increase them. 

Having done this, I left them the next day, and went 
on board the ship. The next morning, two of the five 
men came swimming to the ship’s side ; and making a 
most lamentable complaint of the other three, begged to 
be taken into’ the ship, for God’s sake, for they should be 
murdered. 

The captain pretended to have no power without me ; 
but, after some difficulty, and after their solemn promises 
of amendment, they were taken on board, and were shortly 
after soundly whipped, after which they proved very hon- 
est and quiet fellows. 

Some time after this, I went with the boat on shore, the 
tide being up, with the things promised to the men, with 
which the captain, at my intercession* sent their chests 
and clothes, which they took, and were very thankful for. 
I also encouraged them, by telling them that if it lay in 
my way to send any vessel to take them in, I would not 
forget them. 

When I quitted this island, I carried on board, for rel- 
ics, the great goat-skin cap I had made, my umbrella, and 
one of my parrots ; also I forgot not to take the money I 
had had laid by me so long, useless. 


OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


257 


And thus I left the island, the 19th of December, by the 
ship’s account, in the year 1686, after I had been upon it 
twenty-eight years, two months, and nineteen days ; being 
delivered from the second captivity the same day of the 
month that I made my escape from among the Moors at 
Sallee. 

In this vessel, after a long voyage, I arrived in England, 
the 11th of June, in the year 168T, having been thirty-five 
years absent. 




♦> 






























































































English G-rammar. 


— ♦ — 

Elementary Lessons in English. Part First: 

“HOW TO SPEAK AND WRITE CORRECTLY By W. D. 

Whitney of Yale College, and Mrs. N. L. Knox. i2mo. Cloth. 192 

pages. Mailing price, 50 cts. ; Introduction, 30 cts. ; Exchange, 22 cts. 

This Part contains no technical grammar. It is designed to give 
children such a knowledge of the English Language as will enable 
them to speak , write , and use it with accuracy and force. It is made 
up of exercises to increase and improve the vocabulary, lessons in 
enunciation, pronunciation; spelling, sentence-making, punctuation, 
the use of capitals, abbreviations, drill in writing number-forms, 
gender-forms, and the possessive-form, letter-writing, and such other 
matters pertaining to the art of the' language as may be taught 
simply, clearly, and profitably. Many and varied oral and written 
exercises supplement every lesson. 

The Teacher's Edition of Elementary Lessons 

in English. To accompany Part I.: “ HOW TO SPEAK AND 

WRITE CORRECTLY .” Prepared by Mrs. N. L. Knox. i2mo. 

Cloth. 323 pages. Mailing price, 80 cts.; Introduction price, 60 cts. 

The “Teacher’s Edition” contains the entire text of the chil- 
dren’s book, and, in addition, plans for developing the lessons of the 
text, observation lessons, dictation and test exercises, questions for 
oral and written reviews, materials for composition exercises, plans 
for conducting picture lessons, a story lesson, etc., etc., etc. 

In a preliminary chapter (The Teacher s Guide') will be found a 
discussion^ of the Pestalozzian principles of education and instruc- 
tion, of the art of questioning and the laws of questioning, of 
methods of correcting oral and written mistakes, and of oral lessons 
— how to prepare them, and how to give them. This includes also 
material and plans for Oral Lessons in Language for the first, second, 
third, and fourth years in school. There is no book published in 
this country which is so clear, direct, and complete a manual for the 
use of teachers. 


33 


GINN, HE A TH, & CO.'S PUBLIC A TIONS. 


These books are endorsed by leading educators in every part 
of the country. They have stood the test of the school-room. 
Teachers and pupils unite in their praise. The following testi- 
monials to their merits and usefulness, selected from our Special 
Circular , were chosen as a fair geographical representation of 
public opinion rather than as the strongest endorsements which 
the Circular contains : 


Dr. G. Stanley Hall, Lecturer on 
Pedagogy , Harvard Univ. : At present, 
when some of the fundamental prin- 
ciples of treating the vernacular have 
been opened for discussion and in- 
volved in doubt, it is no easy matter to 
write a text-book which shall harmon- 
ize and utilize most if not all of the 
practical advantages claimed for con- 
flicting theories. This is accomplished 
in these admirable books to a surpris- 
ing degree. They will surely find wide 
acceptation, as they deserve to. 

T. A. Crawford, Supt. of Schools, 
Portland, Or. : The year's work is be- 
fore me ; the opinion expressed, after 
having examined the manual, together 
with the text for the pupils’ use, months 
prior to the introduction of the book, 
is fully confirmed, viz. : “that, in all my 
research for something in language for 
primary and intermediate schools, I 
have not met with a work which is near 
to this in its adaptation to our needs. 

J, W. Babcock, Supt. of Schools, 
Dunkirk, N.Y.: No book of its kind 
has ever given us such wonderful re- 
sults. By its simplicity and practica- 
bility it is especially adapted to element- 
ary instruction. Pupils study it with 
pleasure as well as with profit. In fact 
it is no uncommon circumstance for an 
entire class to remain after school and 
urge the teacher to develop extra work 
for the next day. 

JolinB. Peaslee, Supt. of Schools, 
Cincinnati , O. : It meets my views on 


that subject better than any other work 
I have seen. I heartily recommend it 
to teachers as a most excellent text- 
book. 

S. G. Taylor, Prin. Adelphi Acad., 
Brooklyn, N. Y. : We have used the 
“ Elementary Lessons in English ” for 
the past year, with great satisfaction, 
and consider it the best work on this 
subject that we have ever seen. 

N. E. Journal of Education : 

If the author never did anything else 
for the cause of education beyond the 
preparation of “ The Teacher’s Guide ” 
she would merit the perpetual gratitude 
of every teacher of the English lan- 
guage. We have never read a book 
containing so clear, concise, and com- 
prehensive directions for the use of 
teachers. It is a manual every teacher 
should have and study daily, even if 
they have to beg or borrow the money 
with which to purchase it. It is full 
of wise, practical suggestions and meth- 
ods. We say to all teachers of ele- 
mentary schools, Get this manual. 
High authorities pronounce this book 
the best treatise on elementary lessons 
in English ever written. 

B. M. Zettler, Supt. of Public 
Schools, Macon, Ga. : It is a charming 
little book, and leaves no room, it seems 
to me, for further demand on the part 
of teachers for an aid to teach the ele- 
ments of English grammar and the 
correct use of language. 


ENGLISH GRAMMAR. 


41 


Elementary Lessons in English. Part Second : 

“HO JV TO TELL THE TARTS OF SPEECH.” By W. D. 

Whitney of Yale College, and Mrs. N. L. Knox. [In preparation. 

For description of Part I., see page 37. 

The pupil no longer studies words with reference merely to their 
meaning, pronunciation, spelling, written form, and use to express 
ideas, but as elements of sentences, — as Parts of Sfteech, — and con- 
siders each with reference to its use in the sentence. The technical 
terms of grammar are employed, and the more obvious rules of 
syntax are taught. 

The vocabulary lessons and exercises for practice in oral and 
written composition are novel and valuable. Rules for spelling, 
for the use of capitals, marks of punctuation, and marks used by 
proof-readers, are added as occasion requires. A resuml of these, 
a table of synonymes, a table giving the sounds and diacritical marks 
of the consonants, and an additional list of abbreviations, make up 
the Appendix. 

The Method of the book rests not upon theory, or experiment 
merely, but upon successful practice. 

Whitney’s Essentials 0 / English Grammar. 

For the Use of High Schools, Academies, and the Upper Grades of 

Grammar Schools. By Professor W. D. Whitney of Yale College. 

i2mo. Cloth. 260 pages. Mailing price, $1. 00; Introduction, 70 cts.; 

Exchange, 40 cts. 

This is an English Grammar of the English Language, prepared 
by the best philologist in the country. It is clear, practical, and 
complete. It proceeds from facts to principles, and from these to 
classifications and definitions. Mechanical forms, unnecessary classi- 
fications, and abstract definitions are avoided. 

The exercises, selected from the best English writers, leave none 
of the usual and regular forms of English structure untouched. 

The plan of analysis is simple. The ordinary method of Gender 
in Nouns is displaced by one truer and far simpler. The sharp dis- 
tinction of verb-phrases or compound forms from the real verb-forms 
is original and scholarly. 


42 


GINN, HEATH, & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. 


The facts of English Grammar are presented in such a way as to 
lay the best foundation for the further and higher study of Language 
in all its departments. It has already been reprinted in England for 
use in English Schools. 


OPINIONS OF EMINENT SCHOLARS. 


Charles W. Eliot, Pres, of Har- 
vard Univ. : I find it admirably adapted 
for the uses to which he proposes that 
it shall be put. 

Thomas Hill, Ex-Pres. of Har- 
vard Univ. : It seems to me by far the 
best English Grammar for the use of 
schools that I have ever seen : it ap- 
proaches the subject gradually, in the 
best order, and in a manner that will 
catch the attention of students, and that 
will give them clear and precise ideas 
on the great essential points. 

F. J. Child, Prof, of English, Har- 
vard Univ. : I do not know that I ever 
before saw an English Grammar. which 
I would permit my children to look 
into, so great the chance has been that 
they would learn nothing or be taught 
something false. I regarded Prof. W.’s 
undertaking and book as a service to 
humanity as well as to education. 

W. W. Goodwin, Harvard 
Univ. : It seems to me to present the 
subject in a new and most attractive 
light. It excites the pupil’s interest 
and awakens his sympathies at the 
very outset. There is not a single “ dry 
bone "in the whole volume. No stu- 
dent of this book, at either the begin- 
ning or the end, will wonder “ what is 
the use of grammar?” Those who are 
too young to understand this book had 
better not begin technical grammar at 
all. ‘ 

T. W. Higginson: It seems to 
me incomparably superior to any school 


grammar known to me, being, indeed, 
the only one which makes the English 
language a simple, intelligible, and 
even attractive, study. 

Robert Baird, Northwestern 
Univ., III. : Prof. Whitney’s “ English 
Grammar ” will, I believe, mark a new 
era in the study. For a thorough, sci- 
entific treatment of the facts of English 
Syntax, brief as it is, -his work has no 
rival in the language. 

Cyrus Northrop, Prof, of Eng. 
Lit., Yale Coll. : Its simplicity, concise- 
ness, clearness, and completeness seem 
to me to make the work all that could 
be desired. It is certainly the best 
English Grammar 1 have ever seen. I 
was especially pleased with the chap- 
ters on verbs and on predicate nouns 
and adjectives. 

E. S. Gardiner, Inst, in Eng., 
Colgate Acad., Hamilton, N.Y.: It is 
the best text-book on the subject which 
I have ever seen. One great excellence 
of the work is, that it contains nothing 
which the student will be obliged to 
unlearn. 

Caskie Harrison, formerly Univ. 
of the South: It is hard to find words 
which shall unmistakably exhibit a just 
estimate of this excellent book. The 
development is easy, systematic, and 
logical ; and the style is appropriately 
conceived and adjusted. 

E. S. Joynes, fo)-merly Prof, of 
English, Vanderbilt Univ., Tenn.: Prof. 
Whitney has done his subject justice, 
find has fully sustained his reputation. 


ENGLISH LITERATURE . 


13 


Hudson’s School Shakespeare. 

Revised and Enlarged Editions of twenty-three Plays, printed from 
new electrotype plates. Carefully expurgated for use in Schools, 
Clubs, .and Families, with Explanatory Notes at the bottom of the page, 
. and Critical Notes at the end of each volume. By H. N. Hudson, 
LL.D., late Professor of English Literature in Boston University, Edi- 
tor of “ The Harvard Shakespeare ,” and, for more than thirty years, 
a Teacher of Shakespeare in the Schools. One play in each volume. 
Square i6mo. Varying in size from 128-253 pages. Mailing Price 
of each, Cloth, 60 cents; Paper, 45 cents. Introduction Price, Cloth, 
45 cents; Paper, 33 cents. Exchange, Cloth, 38 cents; Paper, 26 cents. 

That Dr. Hudson has unusual qualifications for annotating a 
School Shakespeare will appear from the opinions of Shakespear- 
ian, Professors of English Literature, and Editors, found on pages 
7-1 1 of this Catalogue, from which we quote : — 

“He is a first-rate teacher .” 

“His style is fresh, original , and pungent .” 

“His notes are free from pedantry and d nines s A 
“He has nobility of purpose and purity of heart .” 

“He keeps his readers on the qui vive from first to last A 
“He eliminates gross language without marring the plot . ” 

“He gives results without annoying students with processes .” 

“He 7 iever forgets that he is the Editor and not the Author .” 
“His insight is fully equal to the best English or German critics A 
‘ He justifies the saying that it requires genius to appreciate and 
interpret genius A 

“He has so caught the very spirit of his master that he intuitively 
makes the best choice of disputed texts and throws clearest light on 
obscure passages .” 

I2P See Editor's English in Schools {described on page 24) for 
a full account of his methods of teaching Shakespeare and other 
English Classics. 

Each Play is introduced by a discussion of its history, the source 
of the plot, the political situation, a critical estimate of the char- 
acters, and general characteristics, with much other matter invalu- 
able to the student. These introductory essays are transcripts 
from the Editor’s “Life, Art , and Characters of Shakespeare f and 
contain much valuable matter not found in any other school edition. 


14 


GINN % HEATH, & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. 


The notes are the same as in “ The Harvard Edition ” ; also the 
text, except that it is scrupulously and cleanly expurgated. 

The expurgations consist in the bare omission of such lines and 
expressions as the Editor has always deemed it necessary to omit in 
class. The expurgations do not in any case reach so far as to 
impair in the least either the delineation of character or the dramatic 
action. On the other hand, no matter is retained not fairly pro- 
nounceable in any class, however composed. 

In speaking of Mr. Hudson’s fitness for expurgating Shakespeare, 
and of the result of his work in this direction, the keen critic, Mr. 
Edwin P. Whipple, says : “ IV e believe that only he who is competent 
to comprehend the wonderful genius of the world's greatest mind, is 
a fit person to remove from Shakespeare's plays those passages and 
scenes which offend modern notions of propriety. Mr. Hudson has 
done this delicate task with incomparable tact and felicity. The beauty , 
grandeur, sublimity, wit, humor, and pathos of Shakespeare are 
Preserved, and nothing is omitted that is really essential to the com- 
prehension of Shakespeare's genius as the greatest poet and dramatist 
of the world." 

The Editor uses the plan of foot-notes instead of massing the 
annotation all together at the end of the play, because ample experi- 
ence has assured him, beyond all peradventure, that whatever of 
explanation young students need of Shakespeare’s text — and they 
certainly need a good deal — is much better every way when placed 
directly under the eye, so that they can hardly miss it ; and because 
fit least nineteen in twenty of such pupils will pass over an obscure 
word or phrase without understanding it, rather than stay to lookup 
'che explanation in another part of the volume. 

Recent editors of Greek and Latin Classics are putting their 
annotations on the same page with the text. The strong reasons 
given for thus placing their notes are much stronger reasons when 
applied to similar annotations of any classic in the vernacular. 

In the amount of annotation, the Editor has been mainly guided 
by the results of his own experience in teaching ; aiming to give so 
many and such notes as he has found needful or conducive to a full 
and clear understanding of the Poet’s thought. He has wished to 
avoid distracting or diverting the student’s attention overmuch from 
the special subject-matter of the Poet’s scenes. 


Music. 


The Independent Music Reader. 

By Luther Whiting Mason, for fifteen years Supervisor of Music in 
the Primary Schools of Boston, and for three years Director of Music 
in the Empire of Japan. 

Mason’s Intermediate Music Reader has stood the test of 
time remarkably well. Not better , but more, material is called 
for to supplement it, and hence the issue of the present volume. 

The Independent Reader is designed to furnish supple- 
mentary exercises and songs for the upper classes in Grammar 
Schools. It is especially adapted to Normal Schools, Academies, 
and Village Schools, where a full graded course of Music Readers 
cannot be profitably used. 

It is divided into two parts. The. First Part consists of songs 
and Exercises in three parts, — soprano, alto, and bass. The 
second part consists of songs and hymn-tunes in four parts, — 
soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. 

[Ready in August. 


New and Greatly Improved Edition of the 

Fourth Music Reader. 

All the pieces which require an advanced pianist for the 
accompaniments have been taken out, and replaced by others 
of at least equal value. Thus the book is filled with a selection 
of first-class music, well fitted to interest both teacher and pupil, 
while care has been^ taken to limit the compass of each part as 
much as possible. 


250 


MUSIC. 


A New Music Course for Public Schools. 

By Luther Whiting Mason, for fifteen years Supervisor of Music in 

the Primary Schools of Boston, and for three years Director of Music 

in the Empire of Japan. 

During the past ten years, Mr. Luther W. Mason (the author 
of the first three Readers and the Charts of our present music 
course) has spent a great deal of time and money in visiting 
other countries, for the purpose of studying the systems, organi- 
zation, and methods of teaching singing in the public schools. 

In 1872, he visited France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, 
Austria, and England. 

In 1874, he revisited England, to study especially the 
Tonic-Sol- Fa and other methods in use in that country. 

In 1882, he made a more extended tour through Europe, 
after three years’ experience in Japan, with a view to intro- 
ducing the most improved methods into the latter country, as 
well as into the new Music Course. 

This last visit included Paris, London, Denmark, Norway, 
and Sweden, and the revisiting of the chief cities of Germany, 
including Hamburg, Berlin, Halle, Leipsig, Carlsbad, Nurem- 
berg, Stutgart, and Strasburg. 

He is being aided by many of the leading musicians in 
Europe. During the coming year he proposes* with this help, 
arid also with valuable American aid, to embody the results of 
his last ten years’ study, and experience in the schools, in this 
new series of Readers. 

To the author’s natural fitness for the work, ex-Supt. Phil- 
brick, of Boston, bears the following testimony : — 

A teacher of large experience, an enthusiast in the work, a man of the 
rarest genius for teaching children, a student of pedagogy, with a spirit of 
self-sacrifice that constantly reminded me of the career of Pestalozzi, thor- 
oughly acquainted with the best things that had been thought and said and 
done about teaching children vocal music. 



























































































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